Part of Me
by NerwenT
Summary: On a day like any other, Ji Hoo goes for a casual stroll, only to find himself reminiscing about the past and his friends. An unexpected encounter, however, leads him to a person who disappeared from his life six years ago. How will F4 react when Jan Di suddenly reappears in the city...with her son? (Rating will go up to M for later chapters)
1. Prologue: Positive

**Hello there!**

 **I'm back and this time, with a new story.**

 **This particular idea came to me years ago, and not nearly as developed as it is now. The people I've met along the way and the experiences I've had, helped me mature my simple two line idea into a full story. I really hope that I managed to portray how the characters are after several years of separation and different settings in their lives, so if you feel as if something could be tweaked, please let me know. I always enjoy getting your reviews and PMs.**

 **I'm still working on the Otter fic and will finish translating everything on 2019. So I hope you support me in this new story also.**

 **Only a short prologue this time, but I promise to post the first chapter in the next couple of days. Or, if I get 10 reviews today, I'll post it today, hehe.**

 **Thank you very much!**

* * *

It was funny how one word could change one's demeanor.

When you're in school it's Pass or Fail.

When you're stuck in traffic it's Go or Stop.

When you're confessing it's Yes or No.

But now, the word I was staring at had not only changed my demeanor, it was going to change my entire life.

I was positively hyperventilating, I needed to calm down, but the sobs kept on coming out with no sense or order. Even when I tried to muffle them with my hands, my body was shaking so badly that I couldn't stay still.

Why had this happened? Things were finally looking up; I was no longer under the threat of leaving school; Dad had gotten a new job; mom had finally accepted that stand in the market, and, in general, all was well.

People at school no longer bothered me, thanks to the F4 backing me up. Although it still felt weird to be invited regularly to their private lounge, I did go from time to time because let's face it, I had no more friends at Shinwha.

Woo Bin and Yi Jung were behaving as they always did, still trying to 'seduce me' for the fun of it, but even if they were serious, I was immune to their charms. Ji Hoo was as charming as ever, and as far as Jun Pyo was concerned, after the last time he came to my house, we talked for a long time and it seemed everything was going to be alright between us. Facing those 3 trials we finally agreed on to stay in school with Ji Hoo was just downright stressful, but he had come to my house to personally apologize. Jun Pyo never wanted people to know, but he was actually very sweet when he wanted to be.

I heard my phone alarm go off, and I came back to reality. I had set an alarm for five minutes but...

Oh my god.

 _How_ did I let this happen?

How did I let _this_ happen?

How did I let this _happen_?

I was thankful there was no one at home while I lay crying on the bathroom floor holding a pregnancy test displaying two lines that meant "Positive".


	2. Encounters

**Hello there!  
Yes! I am updating because I know the prologue was really short, so I'm here to deliver the first chapter. Now, not all updates will be this quick, I have a two year old, work and a small business to run so my life is hectic, but I still love to write and love the BoF characters.  
Thank you so very much for your kind reviews, I've replied to all of them except for Guest. And to you Guest, I have to say thank you! I'm really glad you've been captivated from the prologue. I'll keep up the good work. **

**See you in the next update! Fighting!**

* * *

Ji Hoo's day unfolded as usual. He woke up early, donned a suit, had a coffee, was driven to the company, and began his routine. He signed documents, held two meetings, reviewed some purchase proposals, and checked that things were going smoothly for the next gala at Su-Am Art Centre.

And then, as sometimes happened, there was nothing left to do.

He didn't feel like riding his motorcycle today; instead, he called Secretary Park and let him know he was going for a walk so he could arrange the necessary covert security. He entered his adjoined bathroom and went to the closet to find something comfortable to wear. He decided on some black jeans, a white shirt and a double neck zip-up brownish jacket. He finished his look with a pair of Versace sunglasses and left.

Yoon Ji Hoo was 27 years old, soon to be 28; he'd finished an International Business degree and was now the president of the Yoon Empire. That meant he had way more responsibilities than he ever thought possible in his life; however, after a couple of years and the experienced guidance of Secretary Park, he had gotten the gist of it. Of course, his brothers, the F4, had also helped him along the way.

All of them were slowly being groomed to take over their respective families' businesses, but because Ji Hoo had no parents, his time came much quicker than the rest.

Woo Bin began making more decisions within the Song clan and was also introduced to many of the other mafia bosses of different turfs and countries.

Yi Jung had just recently returned from Sweden; he left after his second year of college to pursue a different kind of sculpting technique and had started implementing it into his recent works. Ji Hoo had obviously asked for the rights to present this newfound art of his in his art centre, though it wasn't necessary; Yi Jung wouldn't have had it any other way.

The two of them weren't womanizing so often, and their respective fathers were already on the lookout for suitable bridal candidates.

The story with Jun Pyo was that he was just a few months away from taking control of Shinhwa with a beautiful girlfriend at his side. He had also successfully completed an International Business degree, and President Kang had seen fit to throw him into the rodeo as soon as he was done with college. She'd also managed to present a girl to him that wouldn't back down to his negative responses. Ha Jae Kyung was a force to reckon with.

She, as many others before her, had met with the impenetrable wall that was Goo Jun Pyo, but instead of forfeiting, she had stayed and proven she was not just a piece of arm-candy. Little by little, Jae Kyung had cracked Jun Pyo's shell, and the rest of the F4 had enjoyed immensely watching their leader fight against this girl.

In the end, she won.

Ji Hoo could surely say that Jun Pyo truly liked his girlfriend even if he didn't admit it out loud.

And it was a good thing because after the incident with Jan Di and since she'd left Shinwha high-school, Jun Pyo hadn't involved himself with any other girl.

Ji Hoo could understand him; he also missed Jan Di. What he couldn't fathom, to this day, was why she had decided to leave, scratch that, disappear.

After beating the trials Jun Pyo had put them through after catching them kissing in New Caledonia, Ji Hoo had invited Jan Di on a date, and things had gone really well between them. Ji Hoo took her riding, to the museum, to the art centre. They had a great time.

And then one day, she was gone.

She left a note saying her family was going through some really tough problems and that they needed to leave the city to try to solve them.

Ji Hoo had immediately gone to her house after reading the note and found it deserted. The neighbors told him the family had left the day before and that was all they knew. He summoned the rest of the F4 and they all looked everywhere, and he meant everywhere. He couldn't remember how many times he called Ga Eul begging for some information, to no avail; she knew nothing and had also gotten a short message. Yi Jung had tried to coax her, too, thinking she might be lying, but the answer was the same.

Truth was, they all thought Madam Kang had tried another one of her tricks because she had found out Jun Pyo had taken Jan Di to New Caledonia, and of course she didn't want her son involved with a commoner. Trusting Jan Di was only after her son's wealth, she offered her an outrageous sum of money to leave Jun Pyo alone.

Jan Di threw the money right back in her face.

Literally.

And the F4 had to protect her once more from another enemy.

So, because of that previous incident, they thought of Madam Kang, and Jun Pyo went right ahead and destroyed her entire office for answers. His mother was shocked but ultimately happy that 'that commoner shrew' had left for good.

Finally, they gave up. Jan Di was gone, and they needed to accept it. It might seem weird that the F4 would react like that over the disappearance of a girl they only knew for a couple of months, but Jan Di had instilled a deep change in all of them, if in different ways.

While thinking on this, Ji Hoo found that his feet had taken him to a part of the city he never visited; it was one of the commoner parts, although the high-end part of the district. He saw boutiques and a mall, a little flea market in a park; it was Friday, after all, so the street was very much alive, even though there were only two hours left before normal closing time.

His ears led him to a music store on a street corner. It wasn't one of those high class ones he was used to, but it still looked well-stocked. Inside, there was a girl of perhaps thirteen years old trying a cello, and Ji Hoo recognized she had talent; it sounded beautiful. Even if that song would've sounded better on a Cecilio, the young girl was doing an amazing job.

Out of nowhere, he suddenly noticed a small presence with hands and face plastered to the window glass, totally enraptured as far as he could tell. It was a little boy, probably six or seven years old. From his clothes, one could tell he led a very modest life.

Ji Hoo didn't know why, but after a minute of watching the boy listening to the music, he smiled. One just had to look at the kid once, and you could tell it was as if Christmas had come early for him. He remembered that was how he used to feel about music in his younger years, too.

"Hey you!" A shop attendant suddenly came out. "How many times do I need to tell you to get out of here? Don't you know you're scaring the customers?" He was growling at the little boy.

"I'm sorry, but it's just so beautiful. Would you please let me enter so I can listen? I promise to stay really quiet and-" The boy found himself being tossed aside from the glass.

"There's no way I'm gonna let a little thief like you come into our shop!"

"I think there's no need for violence." Ji Hoo stepped forward, catching the boy before he fell.

The shop attendant went to rant again, but he noticed the clean, high branded, luxurious clothes of the man in from of him and closed his mouth.

"He is bothering the customers, sir." He tried to control his voice.

"I don't see any customers being bothered by him; if anything, that young girl who was playing is being bothered by you." Ji Hoo pointed to the inside of the store, and as he said, the girl was looking pretty uncomfortable with the whole ordeal, and a woman next to her, probably her mother, was beginning to gather her things.

"Now," continued Ji Hoo, taking off his sunglasses, "I think it would be best if you go back inside and try to stop them from leaving."

The shop attendant before him seemed to be thinking hard about something. He looked again and did a double-take, recognizing exactly who was in front of him.

"Sir, my apologies, I-"

"Back. Inside. You're not needed here." But as Ji Hoo said these words, the girl and her mother opened the door to leave.

"Please, ma'am, it's just a misunderstanding." Another man was following her.

"This man," the woman pointed to the shop attendant, "is supposed to be helping my daughter, and he just storms off to chat with someone? I don't think so, sir, no. I will go somewhere else."

"Mom," the girl immediately recognized who was in front of her and was trying desperately to let her mother know. "Mom, this isn't just someone. It's Yoon Ji Hoo."

Her mother quickly turned to see the man in question, and her daughter was right. In front of them, in that little music shop, was one of the best violin performers of Korea, not to mention the president of the Su-Am Centre.

"Yoon Ji Hoo-ssi, to what do we owe this honor?" The man, who followed the customers out, asked. On his chest, there was a nametag that read 'Manager'.

"I came to do some research on different stores in the area, and someone recommended this one to me," he easily lied. "Although I have to say the quality of the instruments seems to be good enough-Thank you for that performance, by the way," he directed his words to the girl, who seemed a step away from fainting, "I have to say the service of the employees is…poor."

"My apologies, sir. We'll see that this incident is not repeated," the manager said.

"I was just trying to get rid of that kid. He was staring at the instruments as if he was hungry!" And the guy clearly didn't know when to shut up.

It was then that every eye fixed on the child who was now hiding behind one of Ji Hoo's legs.

"What were you doing?" Ji Hoo asked him.

The boy's cheeks went red, and he seemed to be struggling to get his words out.

"I'm very sorry. The music that noona was playing sounded really beautiful. I have never listened to a cello first hand; I've always watched performances on TV, so to hear one so close, I couldn't help but listen. I'm sorry I bothered you, Noona and Mister Manager."

The little boy bowed from behind his hiding place and truly melted the women's hearts.

"Don't worry, you didn't bother me." The young girl assured him, and her mother nodded.

"If you ever want to listen again, come and find me, okay?" The manager promised, and the smile the boy gave him back was angelic. "Well then, now that this problem is solved, can I convince you ma'am to please enter again? I assure you, I'll personally help your daughter find the best cello we can offer."

The issue seemed to be resolved, though the shop assistant got such a glare from his manager that he knew a punishment was sure to follow later. The young girl asked Ji Hoo to shake hands, and he gracefully accepted.

Finally, the door closed, and Ji Hoo looked down at the boy still clinging to his leg. And then it dawned on him–this boy was alone.

"Where are your parents?"

"Um, I kinda didn't obey my mom and wandered here alone."

"Do you know your name and address?"

"My name is Ji Min; I'm eight, and I do know my address, but I don't live here, so I don't think you can take me home."

Ji Hoo sighed; this was not how he thought his afternoon would go. "Do you remember where you came from? I bet your parents are really worried and looking for you."

"Yes! I came from that street over there. And I don't have parents; I have Omma."

Great.

"Okay, let's go that way then." Ji Min stopped grabbing his leg, and Ji Hoo began to walk but suddenly noticed Ji Min wasn't following him. "Are you coming?"

"Hand."

"What?"

"Hand. I need to hold onto an adult's hand if I'm going to cross the street."

Ji Hoo looked at the boy again, with his big brown eyes, serious expression, and hand held out to him, and he laughed.

"Are you really eight years old? You seem much too mature for your age, Ji Min-ssi." Ji Hoo took his hand, and they started walking again.

"Omma always says I get my matureness from my dad."

"Didn't you just say you only had Omma?"

"Oh yes, I don't know who my dad is, but if I have questions about him, my mom always answers them."

"So where is your father?"

"Mom says he's on a long trip. She doesn't know if he'll be back, but I know he will. He's just working hard for us, I'm sure. Mom works hard, too, for me, so I work hard for Mom."

Ji Hoo felt a bit sad for the little boy. Maybe his mother really didn't know who his father was, or maybe the father didn't want anything to do with them so she invented a story. Because that 'long trip' thing surely wasn't true.

They kept walking, and Ji Hoo listened to the boy talking about everything that happened since he, his mother, and a friend had come to the city.

"It's my first time here; it's so exciting! I was sick, you see, and they couldn't cure me back home, so Omma brought us here to the city. I know she didn't want to come; I heard her talking with Grandpa, but she did in the end. I think she was worried about the money. Omma works a lot, and I didn't want to get sick, but I did. I'm all better now, though. I was in the clinic for a checkup, but I went out." Here, he subsided a lot, "Omma is going to be scary."

Ji Hoo didn't have any parents or son's experience, except for his memories, and the F4 parents were definitely not the best examples to be based on. However, he knew how most parents loved their children fiercely, and if this woman was alone, she was going to be twice as worried and angry.

"Be honest and apologize, and promise not to do it again because a stranger could come and… By the way, Ji Min, didn't your mother teach you not to talk to strangers?"

"But Hyung-nim!" _So I'm Hyung-nim?_ "You protected me, and you look really cool. Besides, I really, really like you!"

"You barely know me." He tried to reason with the little boy.

"I know that, but…I don't know, I just do!" Ji Min replied with a smile that could probably get him anything he wanted.

Ji Hoo had to give it to him, he never got himself involved in anything, and even if his aversion to strangers had toned down a lot through the years, he still preferred to be left alone. But Ji Min had come and with nothing more than a smile, made him want to help. His eagerness for music was something he hadn't forgotten, either.

"So, tell me, Ji Min, you like music?"

"I DO!" he all but yelled. "I love the cello the most, and Omma says someday she'll buy me one so I can learn!"

Ji Hoo smiled at Ji Min's enthusiasm. "So, who's your favorite cellist?" He knew the little boy probably only knew the most famous songs but not the players.

"Well, if male, I would say Yo-Yo Ma and Mischa Maisky, and female, Natalia Gutman and Alisa Weilerstein." Ji Hoo was impressed; no, he was astonished. He knew he had asked before, but now he was asking again. Was this kid really eight years old? "And of course everybody loves Cello Suite No 1, The Prelude from Bach, but I think my favorite would have to be Cello Sonata No. 1 from Brahms. I actually like the one interpreted by Mstislav Rostropóvich and Rudolf Serkin; the piano accompaniment just really makes your heart race."

"You are full of surprises, Ji Min-ssi." And he got a full smile for an answer.

They walked a couple more minutes through the streets Ji Min remembered when, suddenly, they could hear a male voice yelling.

"Ji Min! Ji Min, answer me if you can hear me! Ji Min!"

"Ah! That's Chul Moo's voice!" Ji Min told Ji Hoo.

"Well, what are you waiting for? Go."

"But Hyung-nim, aren't you coming?"

Ji Hoo thought about it and decided it would be best if he left Ji Min in his family's hands. Tightening his grasp on Ji Min's little hand, he went ahead.

"Chul Moo Hyung!"

"Ji Min!" The man in question came running and crouched to the boy's level, hugging him and patting him everywhere. "Where did you go? Where have you been?! Do you know how worried your mother is?" Each question carried concern but anger as well. "Why did you leave the clinic like that?"

Ji Min looked apologetic. "I'm sorry. I just followed a man who was selling candy and ended up on another street, and then I saw more people and I listened to this noona play the cello, and then I met Hyung-nim."

"Hyung-nim?" Chul Moo looked puzzled but just then noticed Ji Min was holding on for dear life to another man's hand. He stood up and faced him. "Thank you for bringing him here. I'm Ga Chul Moo." He offered his hand to Ji Hoo, and he took it.

"It's no problem. I also told him he shouldn't worry his mother like that. Where is she, by the way?"

"Oh yeah! Wait a second!" While Chul Moo took out his phone and called Ji Min's mother, this time Ji Hoo crouched in front of Ji Min.

"Well, it seems like your mother is on her way. Be sure to apologize to her and reflect on your actions. It was me today, but you never know who might be out there. Not all people are good, Ji Min, you must be aware of that." The little one was on the verge of tears now.

"Yes, Hyung-nim, I'll be more careful, I promise."

"Hey, it's okay, there's no need to cry. You're a man, right?"

"I am."

"Good, then dry those tears." And he offered Ji Min his handkerchief. He was about to say goodbye when a voice from behind told him the mother had arrived.

"JI MIN!" a female voice yelled.

"Omma!" Ji Min ran to his mother and left Ji Hoo in the same position.

Muffled words and crying could be heard, so he stood up and turned so he could wait to say his good-bye to the little boy. The mother's back was to him, and Ji Min was currently being hugged, or more like smothered by his mother, who was giving him some stern but loving words about not leaving on his own like that.

"I'm sorry, Omma, but come meet Hyung-nim! He helped me lots!"

The woman laughed while drying her tears and stood up to face Ji Hoo.

What happened next could only be described as complete and utter shock.

Ji Min ran to Ji Hoo and grabbed his hand, but he didn't budge. Why wasn't Hyung-nim going with him to meet his mother?

Ji Hoo was paralyzed, eyes opened wide, and he could feel the blood running cold through his veins. The woman before him was no different; the color from her cheeks had disappeared, and an ashen tone had come to her face. Her hands went to her open mouth as if trying to silence a scream.

Was this real? How is it that fate works its antics so brazenly to put together such a scenario on a seemingly quiet afternoon that Ji Hoo had wanted to enjoy by himself?

But it couldn't be denied. Ji Min had gone back to her and started asking her what was wrong, calling her 'Omma'.

After what seemed like an eternity, she spoke.

"Ji Hoo?"

It was the same voice, the same eyes, the same girl…except now, she was a woman.

His voice carried a longing he didn't know was still in him.

"Jan Di."

* * *

 **And what now?**

 **A very huge shout to JHsgf82, my dear friends who's always helping me check my grammar. Love ya, girl! :***


	3. Nice to meet you!

**Hello there!**

 **I'm back with the second chapter of this story. I want to thank to all of you for such amazing reviews and PM's. I had a much better response than I was expecting and I'm really touched. I even got a review from France! How cool is that? So really, you guys, thank you very much, to read your reviews makes me want to write more and better every day.**

 **I had a Guest review and if you're reading this, thank you for your words and I'm so glad you're captivated! To the ones with an account, we have been talking via PM ;) And I thank all of you again for taking the time to leave me a line or two.**

 **Now, on to this new chapter!**

 ** _Previously on Part of Me:_** Ji Hoo found a lost boy outside a music shop and helped him find his mother, what he wasn't expecting was to find the boy's mother was his long lost friend, Geum Jan Di. How will their reunion go?

* * *

Ji Min was greatly confused. Hyung-nim was at one side, looking as if something hurt, and his mother was at the other, eyes brimming with fresh tears. He went back to Chul Moo to ask what was going on.

What little Ji Min didn't know, was that this was the first time these two people had met after six long years, almost seven. Many things had been left unsaid and undone, not only to Ji Hoo but all of F4 and Ga Eul.

Ji Hoo felt his limbs coming back to life, so he took off his sunglasses once more and slowly tried to walk.

 _One foot in front of the other._

He approached Jan Di with a calm he wasn't actually feeling, and after what seemed like hours, he was in front of her.

Chul Moo watched this silent exchange with apprehension. Clearly, Jan Di knew this man, but her reaction was far too strange. He assumed he must have been one of the friends she used to talk about from the city. But what could have possibly happened to provoke this kind of reaction in her? He thought of intervening, but the guy didn't seem dangerous, and he had brought Ji Min back. He decided to keep watching for now.

Jan Di's hands were now on her chest, which heaved with her breathing. There he was, in front of her. He looked different; his hair had changed, as had his features, but his eyes were the same, clear and apparently capable of reading whatever was going through her head.

Ji Hoo's hand slowly but surely went to her face and cleaned away a lonely salty drop, which caused a sob to escape Jan Di's mouth.

Ji Min started to rush to his mother, as did Chul Moo, but they both stopped when they saw Ji Hoo gently lifting his arms and pulling Jan Di into an embrace.

Jan Di didn't even try to fight him or her reactions. She just started crying and let herself be cocooned in Ji Hoo's arms. He remained there, firmly holding her while lowering his head near hers. After a couple of seconds, Ji Hoo felt Jan Di hiding her face in his chest and encircling her arms around him, returning the embrace.

 _Why is she here now? And with a child? What happened in all this time?_ There were a million questions going through Ji Hoo's head, but he preferred to think about them later; after all, he wasn't just going to let Jan Di go again without a proper talk.

"I take it you two know each other?"

Chul Moo's voice brought them back to reality, and Jan Di lifted her face to answer her friend.

"Yes, we do."

"Omma, why are you crying? Hyung-nim is nice, and I promise I won't go out alone like that again." Ji Min spoke up.

Just then, Jan Di noticed she hadn't let go of Ji Hoo and blushed a little bit.

"I'm sorry," she said.

"It's okay." Ji Hoo answered while opening his arms. Before Jan Di, a handkerchief suddenly appeared.

"Here, Omma, Hyung-nim lent me this before." Little Ji Min gave her a highly expensive looking piece of cloth.

"Thanks, honey." Jan Di took the handkerchief and couldn't help but smile in remembrance; this was so like Ji Hoo. "You still carry these around, huh?"

"It comes in handy for situations like this," he answered with a smile.

"Does Hyung-nim know Omma?"

Ji Hoo felt a little embarrassed. After all, he had just gone and embraced Jan Di in front of her son and a guy Ji Hoo still didn't know who he was or what he was to her.

"Yeah, I know your mom from long ago."

"I knew it! There was a reason I liked you!" Ji Hoo only smiled and turned to Jan Di, who was looking at him, too.

Someone cleared his throat.

"Oh, right! Chul Moo, this is Ji Hoo; he was my sunbae when I was in high-school." Jan Di introduced him.

"Yes, we've met." _So this is 'sunbae.'_

Ji Hoo nodded in acquiescence.

"Oh, that's good then." Silence reigned for a bit; it was obvious this was a delicate situation. But trust a kid to diffuse the tension.

"Hyung-nim, how do you know Omma? Since when? You went to school together, right?"

"Well, it's a long story, actually, but yes, your mom and I met in high-school."

"Ji Min, what have I told you about asking so many questions at once?" Jan Di gently chided her son.

"Sorry, Omma."

"We could go somewhere," Ji Hoo offered. "You know the guys would love to see you again, and I suppose Ga Eul would, too."

Jan Di looked down, embarrassed.

"It's been so long."

"I know, but I'll tell them to be on their best behavior; although, you must expect us to want some answers after all this time."

"And what if she doesn't want to answer? Jan Di's life is her own," Chul Moo cut in.

"Chul Moo, it's okay. It is true that I have some explaining to do."

"No, you don't if you don't want to." He turned to Ji Hoo. "Thank you for all your help. We can find our way from here."

"Are we leaving already? No fair! I want to stay with Hyung-nim a bit more. Can we, Omma?"

"JI Min, we need to get going, come on." Chul Moo opened his hand, expecting Ji Min to take it as always, but this time the little boy didn't and went to hide behind one of Ji Hoo's legs. "Ji Min!"

"Chul Moo. Go back to the hotel; I'll call you when I'm done. Ji Hoo is a friend, and I'll be more than alright."

"Jan Di-ah."

"I'll be fine. Don't worry. Please, go." Jan Di begged him. She really didn't want a confrontation between Chul Moo and Ji Hoo.

Ji Hoo actually wanted to tell her that it was okay to meet later or maybe the next day, but he didn't know if she would just disappear again, so he remained silent. Ji Min was still stuck to his leg; apparently, he had earned the little boy's trust somehow.

He watched as Jan Di tried to placate her…friend? And she sent him back to the hotel they were staying in. Finally, the guy started to leave but not before sending a really dirty glare towards Ji Hoo. He remained impassive.

"Sorry about that. He's a little…over the top sometimes, but he's a good guy."

"I'm sure he is."

"Yeah." Jan Di smiled nervously.

"So, just give me a minute. I'll call the gang, and we can go to them soon. Perhaps we could go to eat something while they get together."

"Sure, that'll be okay."

* * *

Jan Di went with Ji Hoo to a nearby family restaurant with Ji Min holding her hand. She actually felt really nervous about this; after all, she was going to face F4 and Ga Eul after all these years, and she could only imagine how many questions they were going to come up with..

 _What will I tell them? I can't possibly reveal everything, but I do owe them something after the way I left._

"Are you okay?" Ji Hoo asked her when he returned with their order from the counter.

It was a normal combo hamburger set for them and a big, colorful toy-included set for Ji Min.

"Yes, I'm okay."

"This is so awesome! Mom, look at the toy I got!" Ji Min was extremely excited.

"Yes, it's really great," Jan Di answered her son with a big smile.

Ji Hoo sat across from her and started to unwrap his meal. "I'm sorry. I know this is sudden, and I probably should've given you a little more time."

"I understand why you did it. I don't have the greatest record of facing things head on." They all ate, and Ji Min was the one who kept the tension at bay with his innocent and cute remarks about the food, the games in the restaurant, or his new favorite toy.

Ji Hoo's cell phone rang, and Jan Di could hear how he was undoubtedly answering the F4's questions.

"Yes, she is here…No I didn't find her; it was a coincidence…Yes, in Woo Bin's apartment is easier. Just be sure to bring refreshments, candy, and have the DVD set up…Yes, candy." He mouthed a question to Jan Di: 'Can he eat candy?' Jan Di just nodded. Ji Min wouldn't die from eating an overload of candy for a day. "Yes, see you in a bit then." He hung up. "Okay, we're all set; they're already there."

"Okay, let's just finish here and go. Are you ready, Ji Min?"

"Yes, but I need to wash my hands," he said while showing his greasy fingers.

"I'll take him to the bathroom, and I'll be back in a bit." Jan Di stood up, clutched her purse, and led Ji Min on.

Ji Hoo still couldn't believe it. Geum Jan Di, a mother. Not that he ever thought she would be a bad one; he had seen enough of her caring personality to assume that someday, she'd have children of her own and love them dearly. But she was only 25, and Ji Min was eight, so that meant that shortly after she left, she got pregnant. That couldn't have been easy, more so because of her family's financial situation.

He guessed he would just have to wait until they reached the apartment to hear what she had to say.

* * *

The three of them left the establishment, and Jan Di could see there was a man in front of the store, standing next to a car.

"Young master, the car as you requested. There'll be no calls or meetings tonight."

"Thank you, Secretary Park. I'll take it from here."

"Are you Hyung-nim's daddy?" Ji Min asked the tall man who was giving Ji Hoo his car keys.

"No, I'm not," Secretary Park kindly answered.

"Geum. Ji. Min." Jan Di spelled out his name slowly; apparently, her son still hadn't learned when the right time to ask questions was, nor which ones were the right questions.

"Sorry, Omma"

"Hello again, Miss Geum. It's great to see you again."

"You too, Chae Yun-ssi. But you seem to have forgotten that I don't like being called 'Miss Geum,'" she said with a smile.

"Excuse me, Miss Jan Di, force of habit."

"That'll do. This is my son, Geum Ji Min." She patted her son's head. "Greet properly," she asked him.

"Hello sir, my name is Geum Ji min; I'm eight years old. Nice to meet you." And he extended his little hand.

"It is very nice to meet you too, young man. I'm Park Chae Yun." He shook Ji Min's hand and gave him a little bow.

They exchanged quick pleasantries and went on their way. Ji Hoo opened the back door for Jan Di and Ji Min and then climbed into the driver's seat.

"Are you okay?" Jan Di finally managed to ask. "With driving, I mean."

"Yeah, after that time it became gradually easier." He turned around and looked at her. "Don't worry."

"Okay." She gave him a small smile.

Ji Hoo turned around again and took out his keys. Jan Di couldn't help but notice the charm hanging from the keychain.

"Why do you have that?" she asked in great surprise.

"It's a gift from you, is it not?" was his only answer.

Jan Di took a deep breath and didn't say anymore. There were many things to be said.

* * *

They rode for twenty minutes and arrived at a very nice complex of apartments. There seemed to be only five floors so perhaps one was Woo Bin's.

Ji Min had stayed unusually silent; he had never seen a house so big.

"Are you ready?" Ji Hoo asked her.

"No, not actually. But let's go, I'd really like to see them, too."

They entered the building and pushed the button for the elevator. Inside, Ji Hoo grabbed Jan Di's hand and gave it a slight squeeze.

She didn't flinch but instead squeezed back and allowed the warmth from his hand to calm her nerves a little bit.

After a couple more seconds, they were on the fifth floor.

"Come on, they're all waiting." Ji Hoo released her hand and waited for the doors to open. Jan Di was impressed that they didn't actually need to knock on a door or step out of the elevator into a corridor or something; when its doors opened, they were directly in the apartment.

"Yoh, man. We've been waiting!" Song Woo Bin greeted his brother and turned around to see Jan Di.

"Um…Hi, Woo Bin sunbae," she said nervously.

"Geum Jan Di." Woo Bin looked sternly at her for a second. "Do you think it was okay what you did? To disappear from everyone's life? Especially-"

"Woo Bin! That's enough." Ji Hoo warned.

"Yeah man, I know, I was just preparing her for what Jun Pyo might say." He grinned and answered Ji Hoo. "Now you," he turned to Jan Di again, "Come here and give me some love."

"Oh my God, you haven't changed." Jan Di laughed, relieved. Woo Bin hugged her tightly, and she laughed at his brazen display of affection. "You're actually choking me a bit."

"Deal with it, it's been years." But he let her go. "So, shall we proceed?"

"Wait, where's Ji Min?"

"Who?"

"I'm here," a little voice from behind Ji Hoo answered.

"Whoa! Wait, is this your kid?"

"Yes, he is. Say hello." She beckoned Ji Min to her, and he left his secure place.

"Hello, my name is Geum Ji Min; I'm eight years old. Nice to meet you." He extended his little hand to Woo Bin.

"Holy shit!"

"That's a bad word." Ji Min laughed while Ji Hoo slapped Woo Bin in the head.

"Sorry, but…whoa! Oh man." Woo Bin covered his eyes and let out a harsh laugh. "This is gonna be good." He then crouched to Ji Min's level and patted his head. "Hey there, buddy. I'm your uncle Woo Bin; I'm gonna teach you lots of things." He winked at him.

"Yeah? Like what?" Ji Min asked, excited.

"Well, is there a girl you like at school?" Woo Bin teased, knowing fully well that Jan Di would probably kick him.

"You stay away from my son, you hear me?" She said between laughs. Of course she knew he was joking, but still, Woo Bin wasn't the _Don Juan_ for nothing.

"Should we enter then? I bet Yi Jung is having a hard time keeping Jun Pyo in that room. Come, Ji Min." Woo Bin offered his hand, and Ji Min went to take it. "Let's go grab something to eat first."

"Omma, can I go with Uncle Woo Bin?"

"Yeah sure, go ahead," she said, knowing that Woo Bin would keep Ji Min distracted for a bit while she greeted the other two.

"Alright then, chocolate and ice cream it is!" Woo Bin yelled.

"Yeah! That's so cool!" Ji Min followed happily.

She watched as her son disappeared from her sight and released the breath she was holding.

"That went better than I expected," she told Ji Hoo.

"Yeah, well. That's Woo Bin for you. But don't relax just yet, the great Goo Jun Pyo awaits."

"Okay, yes, just give me a second." Ji Hoo watched as Jan Di closed her eyes and took deep breaths. After the fifth one, she said she was ready.

Ji Hoo guided her through the huge living room to where their friends were waiting.

They entered the lounge, and Yi Jung stood up immediately. Jun Pyo moved forward in his seat, and Ji Hoo stepped aside and let Jan Di be seen.

"Hey guys." She weakly waved.

"I'll be damned, it is you." Yi Jung went full-on smile on her and rushed to hug her. "Geum Jan Di, where the hell have you been all these years? We went half-mad looking for you!" He let her go and looked at her from head to toe. "You haven't changed from what I can see. Still working two jobs and helping the family?"

"You know it," she said with a smile of her own. She was so relieved that Woo Bin and Yi Jung had reacted so well to her after all those years. But of course, the main character was left.

"So, that's it?" Jun Pyo finally spoke. "Six years, not a phone call, not one letter or e-mail, and you just saunter in here like we just saw each other yesterday?"

Jan Di cringed at his words, and she knew for certain that the rest of the guys felt the same way to some extent; they were just better at hiding it.

"Goo Jun Pyo…"

"Do you have any idea of the mess you left behind? We were all worried sick! And let's not even mention Ga Eul…Yi Jung told me she cried for weeks!" Jun Pyo finally stood and started pacing. Ji Hoo wanted to say something but thought better of it.

"Jun Pyo, let's just sit down and talk; we agreed we were not going to gang up on her." Yi Jung tried to reason.

"We are NOT ganging up on her! I just want answers; we all do! You can't deny it." He finally went to her and saw that the girl he had loved had turned into a woman, but she still had the same expression as back then when she was about to cry.

"Jun Pyo, that's enough." Ji Hoo interjected. "You're not getting anything out of this. You want answers? Then let her talk, don't just attack her as soon as she comes in."

Ji Hoo kept trying to reason with him, and Jun Pyo knew that he was right; he just hadn't been able to restrain himself with his questions and his anger.

"I'm sorry," Jan Di told him with a watery glance, and Jun Pyo finally broke down and hugged her fiercely, crushing her against himself.

"Don't ever do that again, Geum Jan Di," he whispered in her ear as she returned his hold. "If you had problems you should have come to us. We would have helped you."

Jan Di just repeated she was sorry and spilled her tears on Jun Pyo's high couture shirt.

"Hey, why don't we just sit down and talk as I've been asking to do since the beginning?" Yi Jung asked after Jan Di had calmed down a bit. "We have food; we have drinks; we have time, so let Jan Di tell us her story _quietly_ , and then we can ask a few questions." He emphasized this word for his leader, no doubt.

Yi Jung mixed some alcohol in Jan Di's drink even after she refused, telling her it would help with the nerves. When she drank a bit, she could tell it was really just a tiny bit of alcohol, so she accepted the glass.

"Well then, Geum Jan Di, what reason did you have for leaving almost seven years ago?" Jun Pyo asked.

"Jun Pyo…" Yi Jung sighed.

"What? I'm only asking."

"Listen," she said, "It is very difficult to explain why I left, but what I can tell you is that it was a very difficult situation for my family and me. I couldn't possibly reach out to you guys because I'm not like that and you know it."

"But-"

"Let her speak," Ji Hoo interjected.

"How many so-called friends have you had in the past that sought you out only because you were rich? Only because they wanted to obtain something from you? I didn't want to do that."

"We know you weren't and aren't like that Jan Di," Yi Jung told her. "We really would've helped in any way we could if you had just told us."

"I'm really sorry; I just…I didn't…I couldn't tell you guys. I knew you'd try to fix it somehow, and that wasn't your responsibility."

"So okay, you don't have to tell us exactly why you and your family left," Jun Pyo told her. "But couldn't you have at least kept in communication with us? What reason did you have for disappearing for almost seven years? And it better be a good one."

"Well, I…"

"Omma!" a loud shriek came from down the corridor, and neither Yi Jung nor Jun Pyo could believe their eyes when a small boy came running to Jan Di with open arms and hugged her with a chocolate bar in his hand. "Uncle Woo Bin is the best! He has a huge kitchen, and it's filled with candy!"

"Is it now? Remember you shouldn't eat so much or you'll spoil your appetite for dinner, okay?"

"Okay!" He turned around in her arms and saw the men in the room. "I know Hyung-nim, but I don't know them. Are you Omma's friends too?"

"Wait, wait-" Jun Pyo's head couldn't catch up.

"Jan Di, are you telling us this is-" Yi Jung had a truly surprised expression.

"Yes, these are my friends from school. Greet properly please," she asked her son for the second time today.

"Hello, I'm Geum Ji Min; I'm eight years old. Nice to meet you!"

* * *

 **I just love Ji Min. He's not a perfect child by a long shot, but he's very loving of his Omma.**

 _ **On the next chapter of Part of Me:** _Jan Di will get to talk with F4 and meet new people too. F4 will ask for something and, as usual, will win. A challenge is made and Jan Di thinks she can pull it off even though her opponent is a tough nut to crack. The question of who is Chul Moo is answered and Ji Min will be held up high. Before the day ends, someone asks Jan Di how she feels Jun Pyo will be as a father.


	4. A week with F4

**Hello darlings,**

 **How are you doing? I hope you are all fine.**

 **I'm terribly sorry about not being able to update as fast as I wanted, but life gave me a blow this past month with several stressful weeks at work, only to be laid off in the end. No warning, no previous conversation. They just told me "sign this and good bye" and I was stunned. I have a two year old baby who is the light of my life, so you can imagine, I'm very worried about how things will look like from here on. So, I don't mean to make you sad with all of this, but I do think you all deserved a bit of an explanation about why I haven't been as active as before. Hopefully I'll get a job soon and I'll be less worried. If you can send me some positive energies, I would greatly appreciate it.**

 **Well then, on with another chapter. For this, and the previous ones, I finally made a Pinterest board. You can all go to my profile and get the link and I'm leaving it here too for the first time (remember to erase all of the spaces) www. pinterest nerwentasartir/ part-of-me/**

 **I hope you enjoy it and also let me know what things you'd like to see there.**

 **For those who read my first "promp" in my Prompts fic, I promise I'll get back to that soon. It really has been a bad month for me and writing helps me get distracted so I'm hoping to be able to write a bit more these days and also hoping to get a new job soon.**

 **Without further ado, here it is, the newest chapter!**

 _ **Previously on Part of Me:** Jan Di met Ji Hoo and was greatly surprised. He called the rest of F4 to let them know he had found her. The gang is meeting in Woo Bin's apartment. When Jan Di arrives, she has a very emotional reunion with her friends. When Jun Pyo couldn't hold back his tongue and asked her for the reason for being absent all those years, Ji Min came running to the room, promptly introducing himself. _

* * *

The room was eerily silent after little Ji Min's presentation. Several seconds passed by before he asked his mother if they were playing freeze tag, and Jan Di answered that they weren't.

"Woo Bin, did you plan this?" Yi Jung asked his friend, who was recording everything with his cell.

"Nope, not one bit."

"Jan Di, is this really your son?" Yi Jung appeared to be in shock.

"Yes, Yi Jung, he is. And he's the reason you were asking about, Jun Pyo." Jan Di turned to the man in question, who seemed to have really been playing freeze tag; he was frozen on the spot.

"Don't worry, Jan Di; he'll react in a bit," Woo Bin told her, still recording. "Little Ji Min here is Jan Di's son; he goes to school, had a mean cold not too long ago-Don't worry Jan Di, he didn't eat any ice cream when I found out-and lives with his grandparents, his uncle, and his mom on a faraway island to the south. Trust me, I know my geography, and I don't know this place's name, so you did a really good job at hiding, Jan Di."

"I wasn't hiding…," she muttered.

"Why don't I take Ji Min to the playroom here while we talk?" Woo Bin pointed to the room across from the one Jan Di was in. It had glass doors so she would be able to see her son, though she didn't need to worry. With the huge plasma TV, PlayStation, games and DVDs in that room, the problem would be getting Ji Min out of it.

"Ji Min, love. Would you like to go watch a movie while Mom talks with her friends for a bit?"

"Can I watch a scary movie?" he asked, excited.

"No. You'll have bad dreams later."

"Ommaaa…"

"No."

Ji Min knew that voice, so he didn't battle with her further, and defeated, took Woo Bin's hand again and went to the other room.

Jan Di turned on the sofa she was sitting in to her friends. Ji Hoo was smiling at how well Woo Bin and Ji Min seemed to get along. Yi Jung appeared to be adding numbers in his head, and Jun Pyo finally found his voice.

"YOU ARE A MOM!? What? But when!? Are you married? Where's his father? How did it happen?"

Jan Di was taken aback by his sudden questions and was momentarily speechless.

"Do you really want her to tell you _how_ it happened, Jun Pyo? I think it would be best if we revisit the Birds and the Bees tale later tonight." Yi Jung tried to lighten the mood.

"What did I miss?" Woo Bin entered quickly, and Jan Di could see from behind her friend that her son was enraptured by some movie on the TV.

"He's not watching something scary, right?" she asked him.

"Nah, I put on Transformers. What did I miss?" Woo Bin asked again.

"The usual, Jun Pyo just blurted out whatever he was thinking without using the filter that's supposed to be between his brain and his mouth," Yi Jung replied.

"Damn it, I wanted to record that."

"But he is right, Jan Di. We were kinda wondering the same, minus the 'how' part."

Jan Di smiled a bit, even though she was feeling pretty nervous inside. Her heart trembled inside her chest, and her mouth felt dry. Woo Bin went to sit among his friends, and she suddenly thought this was like being in front of a jury of some sort.

"Um, well… As you know I left school early in December because of my family issues. Many things happened after I moved, and then, well…Ji Min was born on August 10th, 2011."

"It was quick then," Yi Jung stated.

"Yeah, it was. I couldn't contact you because I lost my cell phone, and I lost your contact information. Besides that, even if I wanted to come back and look for you guys, it wasn't possible. Having a brand new baby really turns your life upside down. The first month of Ji Min's life was really, really hard on me; I knew nothing of being a mother or having a baby. My mom helped me a lot, surprisingly; she didn't let me stay down for long, and she made me do the job. She said if I was smart enough to get pregnant, I needed to be smart enough to be a mother to my kid."

"Where's the father?" Woo Bin asked.

"He's not with us right now; he-"

"Did he abandon you?" Ji Hoo asked something for the first time, and Jan Di found it really hard to answer, just as when Jun Pyo asked the questions.

"No, he didn't abandon us. The situation with his father is complicated, and I can't tell you all of it."

"He's a scumbag. If he left you alone with your son and didn't man up to take responsibility for his actions, he's trash," Jun Pyo said.

"No, he's not!" Jan Di cut him off, surprising him by the rudeness in her voice. "Listen, I know it's really difficult for you to understand this, but I'll try to clarify it. Ji Min's father is not a bad man; he didn't abandon me or him, and he's one of the best men I've ever met. Our relationship was complicated; many things happened so we can't be with him right now. Don't badmouth him if you don't know the whole story."

"You won't tell us the whole story."

"I can't tell you the whole story."

"Why?" Jun Pyo insisted.

"Because she can't Jun Pyo, just leave it at that." Woo Bin came to her rescue. "Just tell us he didn't mistreat you or do anything bad to you or Ji Min, and that's enough for us. Don't feel as if you need to protect him; _we_ can protect you, Jan Di, you're like our little sister."

Jan Di felt her heart swelling. Woo Bin had not only talked about her, but he included Ji Min too, even though he had only met him for a few minutes. "No, Woo Bin, he didn't do anything bad to me or Ji Min; it's just a complicated situation."

"Enough for me. So the thing now is, what are you going to do?"

"What do you mean?" Jan Di was confused.

"Well," Yi Jung interjected, "We wouldn't be here today if Ji Hoo hadn't found you by mere chance, so we want to know if you're going to go or if you're coming back."

Jan Di could see 4 pairs of eyes set on her, waiting for her answer. Again, she felt moved. Here she was, after a seven-year disappearance, and her friends still wanted her among them. She had to fight back her tears.

She opened her mouth to answer, but suddenly, everyone heard a feminine voice calling for…

"Jun!" A young woman came running into the room and launched herself at Jun Pyo.

"Yah! Do you always have to do that?" he asked, flustered by her sitting on his legs.

"You know you like it." She giggled. "Hey guys!" The rest of the F4 answered with small smiles on their faces; apparently, this was a usual situation. "Oh, hello!" She looked at Jan Di.

"Um...hi."

"Have we perhaps met at some function? I'm sorry, I don't remember your face."

"You wouldn't because she doesn't attend those sort of parties. Would you please get down?" Jun Pyo answered while grabbing the woman on his lap by the waist and forcing her to stand up, but after that, he gave her the sofa he'd been sitting on and took a seat on the armrest.

Before she could ask something again, another beautiful woman entered the room.

"Hello, guys," she greeted, and when her eyes landed on Jan Di, she addressed her as well. "Hello," Jan Di replied to her in the same way.

"So, who are you?" The woman beside Jun Pyo asked again.

"Oh, my name is Geum Jan Di, nice to meet you."

"Oh my God! You're Geum Jan Di? Jun has told me so much about you!" She sprung up as if jolted by electricity and went to hug her. Jan Di could only stay still as she received the hug. "I'm Ha Jae Kyung; I'm Jun's girlfriend. Nice to meet you at last!"

"Mm, yeah, nice to meet you, too."

"I think I've heard your name before, too. You were all friends in high-school, yes? I'm Heo Sun Mi, nice to meet you." The second woman bowed, and Jan Di tried to return the greeting, but she was still engulfed in Jae Kyung's arms. Sun Mi just smiled, understanding her situation, and then turned to walk to where Ji Hoo was and sat next to him.

Jan Di saw how Ji Hoo didn't seem uncomfortable about how near she was, and she looked at him with a question in her eyes. After all this time, she still worried about her friends, and she knew how Ji Hoo was with nearness in the past.

Ji Hoo noticed her eyes, catching the inquiry and her worry for him. He looked down for a few seconds but then looked back at her while saying, "Sun Mi is my girlfriend."

Jan Di's eyes widened slightly, but just for a beat, and she slowly smiled and nodded at him.

"And what about you, Yi Jung? Woo Bin? Where are your girlfriends?" Jan Di asked, joking.

"Why? Are you interested in the position?" Woo Bin teasingly asked her.

"Of course, I've been secretly in love with you for years!" Jan Di sardonically answered, and Woo Bin laughed in good humor. "What I'm really impressed about is that you, Jun Pyo, managed to find a saint." Jae Kyung smiled widely at her description and finally let her go.

"What?" Jun Pyo asked, confused.

"She must be if she's willing to put up with you and your antics." She smiled. Jun Pyo was going to retort, but Jae Kyung cut him off.

"You're so right! Jun is a little difficult sometimes, but you know, I really love him!"

"Yah! Stop saying things like that!" Jun Pyo was red up to the tips of his ears.

"And he's so cute, too. Don't you think, Jan Di-ah?"

"Well, excuse me if I can't find the same charm in him that you do, but still, I can tell he really loves you, too, just from the way he's blushing right now."

Jun Pyo just managed to blush harder at her words.

"Well, I made Woo Bin flirt with me, Jun Pyo blush, and Yi Jung turn serious for a bit. I think I'm almost done here."

"What about Ji Hoo? Won't you do something to him?" Yi Jung asked, amused. It was true that Jan Di made them behave in a way that most people couldn't, and she had seen sides of them usually only bared to each other.

Jan Di thought about it for a bit. She felt lighter than she had felt in years; she was laughing and having a good time with friends that she thought she might have lost forever. Perhaps she could score one more with the F4?

"I could make you smile," she said to Ji Hoo with a smile of her own.

All F4 knew that even though Ji Hoo started to loosen up after Jan Di entered their lives, his smiles were still rare.

Ji Hoo turned a bit serious then; he knew he could resist whatever joke or funny face she might pull on him. He scooted forward a bit on the couch, rested his elbows on his knees, interlaced his fingers, and adopted his business stance. "Really?" he asked her.

"Yeah, I'm sure I can."

It was then that Woo Bin and Yi Jung started hooting and stood up, one going for Ji Hoo and the other for Jan Di.

"What do you say, Yi Jung? My money is on Ji Hoo here." He moved to massage Ji Hoo's shoulders as if he was some kind of boxing trainer.

"I trust Jan Di; she's the Wonder Girl, after all," Yi Jung countered, standing next to her.

"Wonder Girl or whatever, it's been too long. Perhaps she already lost her touch." Woo Bin winked at Jan Di.

"I'm in," Jun Pyo suddenly said. "My money is on Ji Hoo."

"Me too! Me too! I bet for Jan Di!" Jae Kyung excitedly claimed.

Sun Mi had been watching the whole interaction with rapt interest. She had been going out with Ji Hoo for about six months, and of course, during that time, F4 had been present often, as well as Jae Kyung. But she had never seen the guys behaving as they were now. And what about her boyfriend? Was he...daring Jan Di to make him smile?

"You're not going to back down from a challenge, right, Ji Hoo?" Jun Pyo taunted him.

"Of course not," he answered.

Sun Mi knew then that this was serious, so she also contributed to the fun. "I'll bet for you, too," she told her boyfriend sweetly. He just nodded back, keeping his calm expression.

As for F4, each felt as if they had suddenly traveled back in time to school, when they would joke and laugh at the F4 lounge with ease and no worries about the immediate future.

"Give it your best shot, then." Ji Hoo was already fighting the urge to smile, but he was set on doing his best.

Jan Di held his gaze, and everyone watched in suspense of what she was planning to do. Ji Hoo tried not to even blink.

"Fight it, man. You got this," Woo Bin whispered.

"You didn't used to be so close for nothing, Jan Di; you can do it," Yi Jung encouraged.

Jan Di just leaned back and stayed silent for a few seconds. She then lowered her eyes and cocked her head to the side. When Jan Di returned her gaze to Ji Hoo, she just smiled and said one word.

"Sunbae."

Ji Hoo tried; he really did. He could even feel his muscles trembling at his effort, but not two seconds later, he lost the battle. The corner of his eyes crinkled; his head raised, and his lips parted in a full-on smile.

"That was a low blow, Geum Jan Di," he told her, rewarding her with that angelic smile of his.

The room went nuts.

"Oh man! Just one word? How!?" Woo Bin was lamenting.

"I'm sorry," Ji Hoo apologized to his brother and then directed his gaze to a now equally radiantly smiling Jan Di. While he heard Woo Bin still ranting and Yi Jung gloating, he directed his words to her, "I guess I just couldn't help it." Jan Di's smile broadened even more, but then she saw Ji Hoo muttering a word just loud enough for her to hear, "Cheater."

"Yah! You know it was totally fair!" Ji Hoo just laughed that boyish laugh he sometimes had, and Sun Mi looked at him, a bit shocked. "I needed my A-game; I wasn't going to let the guys bully me if I failed."

" _Wonder Girl_ , Geum Jan Di, you still have it." Yi Jung gave her a high five.

"Jan Di, you're amazing! You broke through Ji Hoo's armor!" Jae Kyung fawned over her, and Jun Pyo just sighed and chuckled at what he had just witnessed.

The room was filled with laughter, and they were all having a great time; although, one person had a nervous smile on her face.

"I've never seen Ji Hoo smile like that," Sun Mi told Woo Bin when Ji Hoo stood up to get something to drink.

"Well, yeah. Jan Di tends to bring that out in us. It's impossible not to smile when you're around her," he explained.

Sun Mi just nodded, and Woo Bin patted her head before joining his brothers again.

"So…," Yi Jung said after a minute, "Jan Di, the question remains. Will you stay?" Everyone in the room paid attention to her then.

"I don't know. I do have some vacation time accumulated, and Ji Min isn't due to return to school until the end of the month."

"Who's Ji Min?" asked Jae Kyung.

"Oh, he's my son; he's in the other room." Jae Kyung looked as if someone had told her Santa Claus was real.

"Can I go play with him? I just love kids!" Jan Di was a little surprised but thought nothing bad of it.

"Sure, he's watching a movie." And after those words, Jae Kyung went running to the little boy, but not before asking Sun Mi if she wanted to come along.

Now Jan Di understood, bubbly personality and all, Jae Kyung was perceptive and felt the need to leave F4 alone with her. Sun Mi accepted the offer, and soon, Jan Di watched her son get excited over having two pretty ladies wanting to know about him.

"So, getting back on track," Woo Bin said turning towards Jan Di again, "You still have time."

"Yes, but the tickets were bought for tomorrow, and they're non-refundable."

"We can get you new tickets for when you go back. Scratch that, you'll go on my jet," Jun Pyo said.

"And the lodging, it's just until tomorrow noon…," Jan Di continued.

"We'll put you in one of our hotels; don't worry," Yi Jung told her.

"But...guys. Look, I really would like to stay longer, but I have a life back there. I don't know if I'll ever come back to the city."

"So, just stay for a week, then. Later, if you want, we can talk about coming back here, you and your family of course," Woo Bin offered.

"I…" Jan Di was still hesitant. She felt as if she was horribly imposing on her friends, even though they were the ones asking her to stay.

"You owe us," Ji Hoo said, surprising Jan Di. That little sentence made her heart wilt a bit. "Six birthdays, Christmases, and New Years...Not including Ji Min's birthday, so you see, we missed a lot, Geum Jan Di." He felt a little bad about emotionally blackmailing her like that, but he knew Jan Di also wanted to stay; she just didn't want to be an inconvenience. "You have to let us make up for it," he added, trying to soften his words.

Jan Di looked at each of the F4 and couldn't help the smile that came to her lips.

"Okay, the powerful F4 win, as usual…"

"Hell yeah! This is going to be so much fun! Man, I'm excited!" Woo Bin exclaimed.

"Don't worry, Jan Di. I promise you'll have a great time," Yi Jung tried to reassure her.

"With you guys? Worrying is the first thing on my list."

"So, how are we doing this?" Woo Bin asked everyone. "Jan Di's staying for a week, so we should make the most of each day she has. Maybe she can spend a couple of days with one of us? We could go overseas, Jan Di! Does Ji Min have a passport?"

"Hold on, why is it that you get to spend two days with her?" Jun Pyo indignantly asked. "I can also take them overseas."

"No one is going overseas; I'd like to stay within the city limits, please," Jan Di piped in.

"Omma, I want to go to the bathroom," Ji Min's voice suddenly made everyone stop.

"I told him I could show him where it was, but he wanted to tell you first, " Sun Mi explained to Jan Di.

"Yes, well, after his little stunt today, he's going to have to notify me even when he goes from room to room." Ji Min lowered his head, for he knew his mom was still mad at him. Jan Di stoiod up and went to him "It's okay, you can go with her. Call me if you need me?" Ji Min nodded and took Sun Mi's hand.

"What were you guys doing?" Jae Kyung asked after Sun Mi left.

"Just trying to decide how Jan Di is going to spend her next week with us," Yi Jung told her.

"You're only staying for a week? Why not longer? I want us to go shopping together!" Jae Kyung full-on pouted before Jan Di.

"Um, well, as I was explaining them, I have my family there, also a job, and Ji Min has school. We can probably play hooky for a week, but no more that that…"

"So, now they're trying to decide what to do with what little time you have here, right?"

"You got it."

"Let's draw lots!" Jae Kyung jumped a little bit in place. "Let us put the days of the week on pieces of paper and draw them out. That's how we'll decide."

"Why are you saying 'we,' Monkey? This is between F4 and Jan Di, " Jun Pyo told her.

"Excuse me, Your Highness, but I already said I wanted to go shopping with her, so I'm also in."

Jan Di watched them discussing for a bit while they searched for some paper to write on. She couldn't help but think that things hadn't really changed much. There she was, listening to them talking about her as if she wasn't present, making decisions about her next 7 days in the city. She just chuckled. She did owe them, so she'd bear with it.

They were still discussing by the time Ji Min came back, so Jan Di sat down and propped him on her lap.

"What's going on, Omma?"

"Well, Baby, it appears we're staying for another week."

"You are?" Sun Mi asked, a bit surprised.

Jan Di sighed and let out a laugh. "It's the F4. Have you ever tried to tell any of them 'no'? It's nearly impossible." Sun Mi just nodded; she did know how stubborn F4 could be.

"Are we really staying, Omma?" Ji Min looked really excited about that prospect. "What about Chul Moo hyung? Is he staying too?"

 _Oh damn it…_

Jan Di had totally forgotten about her friend who was probably sending her a million texts.

"I don't think so, love, no. Chul Moo has work, so it's going to be just you and me." She went to get her purse so she could check her cell phone. It wasn't really modern, but it fulfilled her needs.

"Sun Mi-noona and Jae Kyung-noona are really pretty! Did you see their clothes? They're so fancy; they look like those models from the magazines Grandma reads."

"Yes, I did see them, and you're right, they are really pretty." Jan Di groaned internally at noticing 10 texts from Chul Moo; he was worried.

"But still, you're the most beautiful, Omma." Ji Min resolutely said to her, making Jan Di's heart melt a bit.

That was her son, honest and blunt. He was really caring of his family, and of course, her. She was still amazed at how powerful and immeasurable Ji Min's love for her was. Having him was one of the most difficult things she had to do but also the most rewarding. If Ji Min liked you, he will make you his friend, was really smart, loved music, and enjoyed going to the park, especially going down the slide, but at the end of the day, what he wanted the most was his omma.

"Thank you, Baby. And you're by far the most handsome man I've ever met." Ji Min just laughed and gave his mom a hug. "Give me a second to write to Chul Moo, okay?"

"Okay!" he said and went running to Woo Bin. He tugged on his pants and asked him what he was doing.

 _ **Hi, sorry I didn't contact you before. We're okay, and we will probably leave soon, so we should be in the lodging in an hour or so. I'll let you know if there's a change of plans.**_

Jan Di put her phone away, and when she looked up, she was startled for a second. Jun Pyo was carrying her son while waiting for Jae Kyung to finish doing something. Apparently, they had finally decided what they were going to do.

Jan Di never thought she'd see the day when 'the great' Goo Jun Pyo would willingly carry a child. He looked at ease, almost comfortable with her son in his arms, but still he retained that prideful demeanor of his; that was truly inborn. She couldn't help but smile a bit before going to them.

"Are you okay, Jun Pyo? Ji Min, come down; you're heavy, love."

"It's fine. He's kinda cool," Jun Pyo answered with one of those rare honest smiles he used to give, and Jan Di felt truly amazed at how good he looked with a child in his arms.

"Be careful or you're going to jumpstart Jae Kyung's biological clock," Yi Jung teased him.

"What clock?" Jun Pyo asked, confused, and Jan Di had to laugh, more so when Jae Kyung turned around and visibly swooned at the scene before her.

"You look so good like that, Jun Pyo. Do you think he'll make a good daddy, Jan Di?" She asked.

"This one? He's super arrogant and acts like he knows everything." Jun Pyo glared at her, and Jae Kyung laughed, but then Jan Di's features softened. "If he likes something, he ignores everything else and goes for it all the way, like a bulldozer. He's really scary when he's angry, but when he treats you well, he's tender."

Everyone gradually quieted down when Jan Di started speaking. "So, you see, I know he'll be a great father, but you'll probably end up with a mini version of him. So, if you're ready for that, yeah, go for it."

Jun Pyo was visibly moved and quite embarrassed by Jan Di's words. Jae Kyung, on her part, decided then and there that she really liked Jan Di.

"Thank you for that; I can see you know Jun a lot."

"Just a bit, though he annoyed me to no end when we were younger." And at that, everyone laughed again.

"Did you make my mom sad?" Ji Min asked Jun Pyo seriously, and he found himself without words.

"No, love. We were children, so Jun Pyo here didn't know better sometimes; he, along with these guys here, made Mommy's life at high-school really interesting."

"Okay." Jun Pyo relaxed visibly; Ji Min's glare had scared him a bit.

"Okay, guys, I've written the days here so we can all draw a lot. It's you four, me, and Sun Mi."

"Eh? I'm sorry, but I don't know exactly what we're doing here," Sun Mi told her friend.

Jae Kyung quickly explained it to her. Sun Mi didn't want to sound rude, but she barely know Jan Di so she wasn't sure about planning a day with her. Jae Kyung was different; she had no problem at all, but she wasn't Jae Kyung. Sensing her friend's distress, she decided to make it easy.

"Listen, Sun Mi and I will share a day, so that leaves 5 days to pick for the lots and two to do whatever we want. Does that sound good?" They all agreed, and Ji Min asked Jun Pyo to put him down. Jan Di thought her son would come to her, but instead, he went to ask Ji Hoo to pick him up this time.

"Ji Min, don't do that, love." She tried to warn him, but Ji Hoo just smiled and swiftly picked him up, holding him by his side and over his hip. Jan Di was, once again, surprised.

"Hyung-nim, you're so tall!" Ji Min exclaimed.

Jan Di stared at them, awed at how Ji Hoo seemed to be so comfortable holding another tiny human being so close to him, and her heart felt a small, familiar twinge.

"What, and I wasn't?" Jun Pyo asked.

"Does everything have to be a competition with you?" Woo Bin laughed.

"I guess another bio-clock will start ticking soon," Yi Jung whispered to Jan Di, but she seemed distracted by the sight of Jun Pyo and Jae Kyung; she looked back at them in a daze, the hint of a smile playing on her lips as Jae Kyung teased Jun Pyo about what a good daddy he'd be. "Jan Di?" He tried again after watching what she was looking at.

"Huh? What?" She shook her head.

"I was saying that maybe another bio-clock will start ticking soon." He pointed to where Sun Mi was.

Jan Di turned to see if perhaps Ji Hoo's girlfriend was sporting the same expression Jae Kyung had showed just a minute ago, but the woman in question was actually looking at her friend and son with a bit of uneasiness? Although, she smiled at her when their eyes met.

"Okay, who'll go first?" Jae Kyung asked.

"Obviously me," Jun Pyo answered.

Woo Bin got Day 1.

Ji Hoo got Day 2.

Yi Jung got Day 3.

Jun Pyo begrudgingly got Day 4.

Jae Kyung and Sun Mi got Day 5.

"I have the perfect plan for tomorrow, you guys! I'll let you know by LINE," Woo Bin said.

"Could you text me the place we're supposed to meet? I don't have LINE on my cell," Jan Di asked him.

"Worry not, little sis, I'll let you know." Jan Di was truly moved by Woo Bin's words, and he noticed. "Aw, Jan Di, you know you're like my sister. Let me prove my love for you!" He went to hug her, and Jan Di squealed a bit at being engulfed in Woo Bin's wide frame.

Ji Min just laughed while watching his mom. She seemed to be relaxed and happy, so he was happy, too.

"Hyung-nim." He turned his head to Ji Hoo.

"Yes?"

"Omma says we're staying for a week. Can you come visit one day before we go again?"

Ji Hoo smiled at his words. "Worry not, Ji Min, your mom is staying so that we can have more time with her, and of course, with you."

"Really!?"

"Yes, really, you'll probably see me tomorrow, too."

"That's so cool!" He said while hugging his neck.

"Ji Min, why don't you come with me for a bit? I haven't had the chance to talk to you," Yi Jung asked the boy.

"Sure," Ji Min said, and Ji Hoo let him down so he could go to the sofa and sit next to Yi Jung, who seemed to be really interested in whatever it was Ji Min was telling him.

"I guess that's all for today. I should go back and ready my things if you guys are going to get me a new place," Jan Di said while catching all the F4's eyes, "You do know I can stay in the same lodging, though, right?"

"Geum Jan Di, you'd be staying in one of our homes if it weren't for Ji Min, you know that," Woo Bin told her, "He's way too small to face some things from our lives."

"Yeah, I know." She probably still was persona non-grata at Jun Pyo's; Woo Bin's 'job' wasn't what you show a kid; Yi Jung still had issues with his father, and Ji Hoo probably wanted privacy with his girlfriend.

"Don't worry about that. Tomorrow, you just need to be ready, and we'll take it from there."

"Okay. Well then, I guess I better get going."

"You need to leave so soon?" Jae Kyung asked her.

"Yeah, it's not too far from where I need to go, but it'll still take me some time, and I need to tell my family and Chul Moo I won't be coming back tomorrow."

"Who's Chul Moo? Your husband? Ji Min's daddy?" Jae Kyung dared to ask the question Ji Hoo had been holding in since he first saw her, so he waited for her answer.

"What? No, absolutely no. Chul Moo is a good friend, and he offered to accompany us while we were here. And he is most definitely not Ji Min's father."

"Oh, ok then." Jae Kyung cowered a little under Jun Pyo's gaze; she might have asked a bit too much, she realized.

Ji Hoo approached Jan Di and quietly spoke to her, "Wait for me for a second, and I'll take you back." Jan Di turned around and asked with her eyes if that was okay; Ji Hoo just ruffled her hair a bit.

He then went to his girlfriend and holding her hand, he led her into the hallway. "I'm going to take them back. Do you want to wait for me here, or do you want me to ask one of the guys to take you home?"

"Sure. Can I wait for you at your place, though?"

"Yeah, but it'll probably take at least two hours for me to get there...You okay with waiting that long?"

"You'll take that long?" Sun Mi asked with puppy eyes.

"The guys were talking about some gifts they want to prepare for today, so I'll probably leave Jan Di and Ji Min and come back here."

"I'll stay then; I'll wait for you here."

"Okay, I'll see you then." Sun Mi gave him a quick peck, and he smiled softly at her before going back inside the room. "You ready?" he asked Jan Di.

"Yeah, Ji Min was just about to finish saying goodbye." Jan Di was smiling at how her son was trying to imitate a 'secret greeting' Woo Bin and Yi Jung were trying to teach him.

"There you go, give it a day or two, and you'll know it by heart. Practice it with your mom."

"Okay, uncles, thank you." They both ruffled his hair and felt that they were starting to really like the kid.

"I'll see you tomorrow, then." Jan Di waved back one last time before going back into the elevator.

Inside, Ji Min started telling Ji Hoo about the 'secret greeting' and trying to wow him with it. Of course, Ji Hoo also knew it, but he paid attention, anyway. Jan Di just let out a breath she felt she had been holding since she entered the building.

"You okay?" Ji Hoo asked.

"Yes, I'm okay," she replied with a small smile.

* * *

Back in the apartment, Jun Pyo and Jae Kyung were currently discussing what to give Jan Di while the rest amusedly watched; Yi Jung gave some suggestions from time to time that weren't really helpful, but that made the situation even funnier.

Sun Mi seized the opportunity and tapped Woo Bin's shoulder.

"Yes, Sun Mi?"

"I was just wondering about Jan Di. You guys seem close to her, but she doesn't seem to be…" She was trying to be tactful by choosing the correct word.

"From our social circle?" Woo Bin offered after watching her expression.

"Yeah, although from what I've heard, you all went to school together."

"What _have_ you heard?"

"Nothing much. Jae Kyung once told me about this girl that was important in Jun Pyo's life or something…" Sun Mi watched as Woo Bin seemed to be thinking about something for a bit.

"Geum Jan Di came to our school under special circumstances; she was a scholarship student, so as you can imagine, she's what you would call a commoner."

"Oh, I see."

"And well, she's the first girl Jun Pyo ever liked, so that's probably why Jae Kyung told you that."

"Oh, so Jun Pyo and Jan Di dated?"

"No, they didn't get that far. He liked her, but she didn't like him back, at least not like that."

"Oh, so you were okay with that? I mean, usually guys tend to side with their own after a girl rejects one of their group."

"Yeah, well. There were certain circumstances, and it wasn't Jan Di's fault. We all liked her-like her, very much. When I said she's like a little sister to me, it's true."

"What did she do for you?" Sun Mi asked with curiosity.

"She told me I didn't have to be like my father," Woo Bin said with serious eyes. He loved his father, but being the heir of a mafia group was a really big responsibility, and he didn't want to fully descend down that rabbit-hole. No Wonderland was expecting him on the other side. "She literally beat some sense into me when I was feeling down."

"She did?" For Sun Mi, violence against another wasn't something she could do, but Woo Bin just chuckled.

"Yeah, I think I still have a trace of the bump she left me with."

"That's amazing." Sun Mi tried to even her voice for her next question, "So, I guess she also did something for Ji Hoo?"

"Yeah, she did something for all of us." By now, Woo Bin could guess what Sun Mi wanted to know, so he didn't prolong her suffering. "She helped Ji Hoo move on from his first love."

Sun Mi was shocked to hear this. She remembered the gossip about how Ji Hoo was going out with Min Seo Hyun, but after that article about her going out with a French diplomat, girls all over the country thanked their stars and waited for a chance to catch the Su-Am heir's eyes.

"You're talking about Min Seo Hyun-ssi, right?"

"Yeah. Min Seo Hyun was the one who saved Ji Hoo as a kid, but Jan Di was the one who broke his shell."

"I see…"

"Don't tell me you're jealous, Heo Sun Mi?" He nudged her shoulder with his while smiling.

"Me? No, nothing like that." She was just trying to remember if Ji Hoo had ever mentioned Jan Di's name; she was sure he didn't. Not that Ji Hoo was the most chatty person, but she also knew he didn't like to talk about his past. Sun Mi had found out about his parents with lots of effort, and he had mentioned it only one time. "I was just curious."

Woo Bin thought for a minute about how much he could say about the F4 and Jan Di's past, but he didn't want Sun Mi to keep thinking about things that weren't there. "Look, I won't deny that Ji Hoo and Jan Di were...close, but that's all in the past now. Ji Hoo has you, and Jan Di has a child; they're just good friends that have met again. Same with all of us, actually. Don't worry about it."

"I won't; I promise." Sun Mi felt better, and she nudged Woo Bin back. They both shared a laugh and went back to paying attention to the gifts they were going to prepare.

* * *

 **Did you like it? I hope so! I'm hoping to read your reviews! =D**

 ** _Coming up in Part of Me:_** _Jan Di explains to Chul Moo she has decided to stay, and among her explanation, she will receive some gifts from F4. An amazing spread of food is also sent to her and along with Ji Min, she enjoys a delicious dinner. The night finds her reminiscing about how her life changed six years ago and we get a first glimpse on how that affected not only her but all her family._


	5. Receiving an F4 Red Card

**Hello there darlings!**

 **I'm baaaaack! And with a new chapter just for you ;)**

 **I'm very thankful to all of you who sent me your positive energies and I gotta say...they worked! I got a job (as I said on my Prompt fic) on February 1st and I'm learning lots. This is allowing me to keep my family afloat and I'm a bit more relaxed now, so thank you very, very much.**

 **I've just updated the Pinterest board and I'm hoping you like all the little pictures I've gathered there. Remember you can get the link on my profile page.**

 **To those of you who are reading The Otter and the Firefighter, I promise I'll start back on that as soon as I can, the new job keeps me very busy. (Which is good right?)**

 **I want to shout a huge thanks to JHsg82, who helps me tons with proofreading, brainstorming and outlining my ideas. Without her I don't know where this story will be. And if you haven't read her, what are you waiting for? Her fics are simply delicious. Thank you, boo!**

 **Also, to daphne's storm for her beautiful words, same as Asanzu, who wrote me in Spanish! ¡Gracias!**

 **Without further ado, here's the new chapter!**

 _ **Previously on Part of Me:** Jan Di and F4 had a talk and it was decided she would stay for one more week in the city while they each take a day to spend with her. Jae Kyung is also participating with Sun Mi. Ji Min is happy he'll get to spend more time with his new found uncles and noonas. Sun Mi tries to find out a bit more about Jan Di and Woo Bin reasures her. Ji Hoo is going to take Jan Di back to her lodging._

* * *

Jan Di watched as Ji Min kept throwing riddle after riddle at Ji Hoo. Of course, they were really simple for a eight year old, but each time Ji Hoo made sure to ponder for a few seconds or even surrender and tell Ji Min he didn't know the answer.

"Okay, so there are three apples, and you take away two. How many apples do you have?"

Ji Hoo seemed to think about it for a bit and then answered, "Two."

"You're the first person besides my mom who guessed right!" Ji Min excitedly exclaimed

"Really?"

"Yeah, and you've given me the correct answers for almost all of my most difficult riddles, so you're also very smart."

"Why, thank you. I'll have to do more research on riddles from now on, so that I'm prepared for next time." Ji Min just laughed and asked his mom if he could eat some crackers.

"Just one, you still need to have dinner," Jan Di answered, and Ji Min didn't wait.

"We're almost there," Ji Hoo told her after a bit.

"We are? That was quick."

"Not much traffic at this hour."

"Plus, with a riddle marathon, time flew by. Thank you for indulging him; everyone back home already knows all his riddles, so he doesn't play it as often anymore," she said in a hushed tone.

"It's okay. Ji Min is really bright for his age. Not that I know that much about kids, but you can actually carry on a conversation with him."

"Yeah," Jan Di answered, a bit sad, "That's my fault. He's been around adults since he was born, and I didn't have much time to plan play-dates, so he always ended up coming with me to my jobs."

"That must have been hard," Ji Hoo told her as he imagined how hard it really must have been for her, and he asked himself again why Jan Di didn't think of contacting him or any of the F4. He knew she probably didn't want to say she got pregnant, but still, he was her friend first; Ji Hoo was sure he wouldn't have judged her.

"It was, but when he started going to school it got much easier, and he had the chance to be around kids his own age. In a way, I think I haven't let Ji Min enjoy his childhood as much as he should have…" Jan Di finished with a sad look.

School was 15 minutes away from her house and not all the kids who attended it were close to her home. Besides, most mothers in the area had the same problem she had: they needed to work. Even if the father worked too, sometimes their family had two or three children, so they couldn't afford to stay at home and take care of them.

Ji Hoo, for once, didn't know what to tell her, how to comfort her. Jan Di was on a whole different level now. She was a mother.

"Omma, I think we're here."

Jan Di snapped out of her thoughts and looked at Ji Min. "We are, baby. Come on, let's go."

"Hyung-nim, come with me!" Ji Min told Ji Hoo as they got out of the car.

"He can't right now, Ji Min, but I promise you can play more tomorrow." Ji Hoo nodded at Jan Di's explanation. "Your other uncles will want to play with you, too, so you're going to have heaps of fun."

"I can't wait for tomorrow!" He yelled while raising his arms.

"That's good." She chuckled. "Now, say goodnight to Ji Hoo and go find Chul Moo. I already texted him."

Ji Min ran to Ji Hoo's legs and wrapped them in a tight hug. "Good night, Hyung-nim! I'm happy you found my mama today. I got to know two pretty noonas and three new uncles!"

Ji Hoo just laughed at Ji Min's description of the day and ruffled his hair a bit. "That's okay, I'm happy I found your mom too and that I got to know you."

Ji Min grinned at him and then went running back to the lodging.

"He'll find Chul Moo soon." Jan Di turned to him, "Ji Hoo, I just wanted to thank you. I know I couldn't give you guys many details about what happened, and you still welcomed me again with open arms. I probably would have waited to see them, but you gave me that push, so...thank you."

"Think nothing of it. You're F4's honorary member, don't forget that." He gently smiled at her.

"I won't." She smiled back. "I should probably go now. I'll see you tomorrow; although, I still don't know how."

"Don't worry, just get your things ready, and we'll take care of it."

She laughed at this. "Okay then, good night."

"Good night."

Jan Di turned around and started walking to the lodging. In that same second, Ji Hoo felt something inside him, an old instinct resurfacing and telling him something was going on with the woman walking away from him. He knew this; he used to joke about it and call it the 'Jan Di alarm', but it had been dormant for so long that he didn't know if he could fully trust it again.

Should he?

He took a chance.

"Geum Jan Di." He called to her.

Jan Di turned her head and found that Ji Hoo was still standing in front of his car, only now he had his arms slightly open.

She didn't think about it; she just rushed to him, and for the second time that day, she let herself be wrapped in his arms.

There was so much she wanted to tell him, to apologize for disappearing, for leaving behind just a note, for not contacting him earlier, for not telling him about...so many things.

"I'm sorry," was all she could say. But Ji Hoo seemed to understand because she felt him squeeze her a bit tighter before reassuring her with a simple phrase.

"It's okay." That was enough.

There they stood, holding each other near. Ji Hoo's hand went to her hair and stroked it as he used to when she was feeling distressed. Jan Di couldn't help but think that this felt like before, as if they had seen each other just yesterday instead of six years ago. She remembered Ji Hoo's touch and the feel of him, how he could make everything seem right almost immediately. And even though she felt a bit guilty for taking advantage of his kindness, she still clung to him with all she had.

Ji Hoo, on his part, allowed himself to be lost in Jan Di's warmth. For someone else it would probably seem ridiculous, but she truly had this ability to make the cold stop. With just the right amount of pressure, none of the hugs he had received would ever compare.

They both thought that something as simple as a hug could be truly amazing. It connected you to the other person, allowing you to share your heartbeat and warmth just by opening your arms and welcoming them in…

After a few minutes, they started to slowly let go. Jan Di quickly wiped the unspilled tears from her eyes before facing Ji Hoo again. They didn't say anything. He waved goodbye; she laughed; he laughed; she waved back, and this time she really went back to the lodging.

She greeted the old woman at the desk and received a knowing smile in return.

"Your friend came by looking for you, but after seeing you outside, he went right back to his room."

"Thank you very much."

So Chul Moo had come out to look for her; she felt a bit embarrassed but decided to let it go, for she hadn't done anything bad.

Jan Di took out her key and went to unlock her room first. Then she knocked on Chul Moo's door twice before going in. There, she found Ji Min moving his arms around while he told Chul Moo about his day.

"...and then you clap here, I think. I can't remember the last part very well, but I'll ask Uncle Woo Bin and Uncle Yi Jung tomorrow!"

"Ji Min-ah," Jan Di called to her son, "Go wash your hands and change your jacket; we need to go find dinner."

"Okay!" Ji Min sprinted to the next room.

"So…," Chul Moo started.

"Yeah, I guess Ji MIn spilled the beans. We're staying for another week."

"We're supposed to leave tomorrow, and the tickets are non-refundable," Chul Moo tried to reason.

"That's no problem. They got me covered."

He was baffled.

Chul Moo had known Jan Di almost since she first set foot on the island and instantly liked her. Of course, there was the issue of her pregnancy...he had tried to find out who the father was, but Jan Di wouldn't relent. She would just say that it was her fault, and she didn't want to drag anyone else with her because of it.

And so he stood by her side; he met her family, and he helped her in whatever way he could. He even once got her a better job than the fish market, and with that, Jan Di started to get better employments, too. Although, in their area, that would mean a restaurant cashier or something like that.

Still, Chul Moo couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"In all the time I've known you, it's been a struggle to get you to accept anything, especially money. So, hearing you say 'they got me covered' so casually is a little surprising for me."

"Oh come on, it's not always like that."

"Yes, it is," he countered, "even when I tried to give you just a little bit of extra cash to get you by until payday after Ji Min got sick and needed medicine, you said you could handle it and flatly refused. So, what makes these people so different that you can accept their help without a second thought?"

Jan Di cringed a little bit. She knew he was right, but the circumstances this time were entirely different.

"I am sorry about that; I did appreciate the help you were trying to give me, but you have your mother to think about, so I couldn't just accept that money." She tried to explain to her friend. Chu Moo started to say something but was interrupted by a knock on the door.

He quickly went to it and opened it.

"It's Ji Min," he told Jan Di. She found it odd as she had told her son to wait for her, and it hadn't even been two minutes.

"What's wrong, baby?"

"There are some people looking for you." Jan Di went out into the hallway and saw two luxury rolling carts covered with a crisp, white mantel and several dishes on it.

"Miss Geum Jan Di?" One of the men asked.

"Yes?"

"This was sent for you." He handed her a blank, white envelope. She already knew who had sent it, so she opened the flap. As soon as did, she saw red.

Jan Di actually chuckled when she found herself staring down at an F4 red card. It had the same ominous gold skull and the words 'F4' under it. She turned it around and read.

 _ **You just got an F4 red card! But don't worry, only good things will happen this time.**_

She didn't recognize the penmanship, but it was probably Yi Jung's or Woo Bin's idea.

"Was that a skull? What's going on?" Chul Moo had peeked at what she got and sounded a bit upset. Jan Di just handed the card to him before opening the door for the men with the carts.

"Thank you very much," she told them.

"It is our pleasure, Miss. Oh, just one more thing." Jan Di watched as the older man clapped his hands, and from the front desk came another guy with a huge bouquet for her. It was an arrangement of white and peach roses.

The older man bowed once more and finally left with the rest of his assistants.

"Omma! Look at all this food!" And Jan Di went inside her room and placed her arrangement on the bedside table while looking at her dinner.

They had an assortment of different things. Jan Di saw some bulgogi, dumpling soup and goldongban. But she really couldn't recognize everything.

Some of the dishes were grilled brisket with spicy stir-fried baby octopus, roasted sirloin and ox bone broth soybean soup with Chinese cabbage. Of course, there were some international dishes such as ceviche, paella, tacos and the desserts were also present. From chocolate cake to cream-filled strawberry tart, although Jan Di was dying to try some of the green tea ice cream.

"Can I eat this, Omma?" Ji Min was positively salivating.

"Yes, you can. But leave the desserts for last!" She warned him, but there was no need; he was going for the most robust dishes. After all, he had eaten a lot that day but only sweets or candies after the meal at the fast-food restaurant, so Jan Di knew her little man was ravenous.

"Do you want to join us?" Jan Di asked Chul Moo, inviting him in. She closed the door after him, and he still held the red card in his hands.

"What's this? An F4 red card? Are they playing as the F4 or something?"

"Well…"

"Oh, you're not telling me they are _the_ F4, right?" Jan Di just looked away. "You know the F4!?"

Jan Di sighed, and by the look her friend was giving her, she knew she needed to give him some kind of explanation.

"We went to one year of high-school together."

"You studied at Shinhwa High School?!"

"Yes! Chul Moo keep your voice down!" She harshly whispered, giving a look to her son. Thankfully, he was still happily eating. "I got a scholarship and had the chance to attend Shinhwa High School. While there, I met the F4, and we became friends."

"Hold on, so that guy from today, the one you were hugging just now, that was _the_ Yoon Ji Hoo?" Chul Moo had only heard Jan Di mention his name once, but he didn't think he had been in front of one of the F4 members.

"You saw that." It wasn't a question.

"Yes, I did. When Ji Min came telling me you were outside, I thought you probably needed help with something."

"Yeah, well, Ji Hoo is an old friend, and…I was just saying good night." Jan Di felt silly giving excuses for why she was hugging Ji Hoo. "Why don't we eat? Food must be getting cold."

"So, that's why you're staying? Because the F4 asked you too?" Chul Moo pressed.

"Okay, that was too much. I'm staying because my friends asked me to, and it really didn't matter if I said no; they wanted me to stay. And before you ask, no, they didn't force me, I too want to stay. Chul Moo, I haven't seen them in almost seven years. I've missed them. You remember when I told you about the friends I left behind in the city? Well, the F4 and Ga Eul are those friends. I still haven't had a chance to let Ga Eul know I'm here, but I will tomorrow." Jan Di hadn't forgotten her best friend and was going to ask Ji Hoo the next day to help her with that.

"I'm sorry...It's just that, I don't know, you're different. I've never seen this side of you."

Jan Di thought about it, and Chul Moo was right. In a way, she felt 18 again. Seeing her friends was like making a time jump of sorts, but she liked it.

"Perhaps I am, but I'm still me; this is just who I used to be here." She told him with a smile.

Chul Moo just sighed, knowing he wasn't going to win this argument. He just shook his head and gently pushed her to the food.

The two of them had just started eating when there was a knock at the door.

"Again?" Chul Moo asked.

"I'll get it!" Ji Min ran to the door. Jan Di watched as he asked who it was, and a voice came saying, "Delivery for Geum Jan Di."

She told Ji Min to open the door, and a young man came in with a large box. "Please sign here," he asked her, and she did.

"What's that, Omma?" Ji Min wanted to see.

"I don't know, but let's open it together," Jan Di offered.

Inside the large box were two more, a small-sized one and a middle-sized one. The latter had a note that made Jan Di smile.

 _ **Ji Min, my man, you'll need this for tomorrow. -Song Woo Bin**_

"Is this for me?" he excitedly asked.

"It appears to be, open it." Inside, there was a pair of Nike sneakers that made Ji Min open his mouth in surprise.

"These look so cool, Mom! Can I try them on?"

"You sure can." How Woo Bin managed to get her son's shoe size, she'd never know, but nothing surprised her when it came toF4.

The smaller box contained a high-brand, last generation smart phone with a cute, white case. It depicted a fully charged battery with the words 'FIGHTING full of energy.'

"Oh my God, Woo Bin." She opened it, and of course, all F4 numbers were there and Jae Kyung's. There was also a new LINE message.

 _ **Hello, little sister. Do you like your new cell phone? I hope so. We'll pick you up at 10:00 am. -WB.**_

"Chul Moo Hyung, look at my new sneakers!" Ji Min was clearly thrilled with his gift.

"They're nice," Chul Moo said. He suddenly wasn't hungry anymore.

"Let me see them, Ji Min." Jan Di knew these items were way too expensive, but she couldn't feel annoyed at the gifts. They actually made her think her usual phrase 'Stupid rich kids', but this time, with lots of love.

She couldn't convince Ji MIn to take off his new shoes, so she just let him be; it wasn't as if they would get dirty inside her room, so why not?

Chul Moo appeared to be full and was just drinking some water. Jan Di just shrugged and returned to her dinner.

Ten minutes later, there was another knock at the door. This time, Jan Di went with her son to open the door. It was a second delivery, but this time the box read the words 'FRAGILE' in big bold red letters.

 _Now what?_ She thought, amused.

Inside were, again, two boxes, a tall one and a small one, this time with just one message.

 _ **Jan Di, I made these with my own hands. I hope you like them. I'm sorry that I don't have the time to prepare something better, but we'll remedy that on our day. ~Yi Jung**_

"What is it this time, Omma?" Ji Min wanted to quickly open the boxes.

"Just wait a second, love. These are fragile, so they can break easily. I'll help you open them" Jan Di went first for the smallest box with her son's name scribbled on top. Inside, there were two mugs, a yellow one and a green one. They mimicked the appearance of embroidered fabric and buttons.

Ji Min didn't know much about art, but after his mom explained to him that this was handmade, he was really impressed; he held his new mug really carefully and went to put it on his bed to admire it better.

Jan Di let him be and was glad to see Yi Jung had sent them matching mugs. She put it on her bedside table next to the flower arrangement and went to open the second box, only to be, once again, surprised by such a gift.

She literally had no words when she examined a beautifully detailed and intricate, patterned vase. But it wasn't only your typical vase, this one had a fierce dragon twisting around it, squeezing the life out of the vase. Jan Di observed the shine and the bluish paint on the dragon scales, eyes, claws, and fangs. This truly was a work of art, worthy of a museum.

"That looks scary," Ji Min told her after he saw the gift.

"Perhaps. But, did you know that in the Asian culture, dragons are venerated creatures. It was believed they could change the flow of the rivers and help the crops grow so that people could feed their families."

Ji Min opened his mouth in a little 'O' while he listened to his mother's explanation. "That looks pretty difficult to make, Omma. How did Uncle Yi Jung do it?"

"Well, you know how you are very good at adding numbers?" Ji Min nodded; he really liked math. "In the same way, Yi Jung is very good at making things with his hands. He practiced lots since he was young, and now he can make really beautiful things like this."

"I'll keep practicing math, too, " he assured Jan Di, and she laughed.

This time, she put the vase back in its box; there wasn't enough space in the room, and she didn't want to risk an accident. She did leave the mugs out, though, because Ji Min wanted to drink his juice in it.

She returned to the food once more, this time indulging in some exotic foreign side dishes. Jan Di had just finished off some tacos when there was a third knock at the door.

"Am I right to assume there are going to be four deliveries tonight?" Chul Moo asked Jan Di as she went to answer once more.

"I would say you're right, yes. F4 is nothing without their theatrics," she told him.

Jan Di received a gift from Jun Pyo and Jae Kyung this time. For her, there was a beautiful Miss Dior gift set, with a Miss Dior bracelet.

 _ **Jun wouldn't know what to gift a woman if his life depended on it, so he left it to me, but don't worry, he chose Ji MIn's gift, hope you like it! -Hugs, Jae Kyung.**_

She smiled at the note and tried a little bit of the perfume on her wrist; it smelled wonderful. Jan Di didn't use perfume on a daily basis, but she thought no woman would be able to resist such a floral and delicate aroma. She put away the cute little box and turned to Ji Min, who was opening his gift next to Chul Moo, and just as she was about to ask him what he got, Ji Min exploded…

"WATER GUNS!" The little boy couldn't contain his excitement at the Nerf Super Soaker Freezefire Blaster and the Exsport 2 Pack Water Squirt Gun. "Mom, I wanna try them, I wanna try them!"

Jan Di looked at the note while rolling her eyes.

 _ **I hope he likes it. Because I wouldn't swim as a kid, I had lots of fun with water guns. -The Great Jun Pyo.**_

"I'm sorry, Ji Min, but I have to say no to this. You're gonna get the room and yourself soaked. I'm sure that if they have given them to you they're planning on making use of them soon, so please put them away for now."

"But Mom…!" This was an uphill battle. Ji Min really wanted to try his guns, and Jan Di knew he wouldn't stop once he started.

Mother and son started arguing, and not even Jan Di's stern 'mom voice' seemed to deter Ji Min. Chul Moo just stared at them without intervening; he was still shocked at the lavish gifts his friend kept on getting. What amazed him even more was that they were also sending gifts to Ji Min, and even if the kid knew the value of money and lived as comfortably as he could under his mother's financial situation, he could see that Ji Min was immensely enjoying his presents.

"I better go," Chul Moo said, causing a temporary cease to the fight. Ji Min had been dangerously inching closer to the bathroom, and Jan Di was checking all her options to sprint forward and close the door.

"But you almost didn't eat, Hyung." Ji Min complained, forgetting about his water gun for a bit, long enough for Jan Di to snatch it away.

"I promise I'll give it to you tomorrow, okay?" Jan Di said in response to her son's sad look and pout. "Ji Min's right; you've barely eaten."

"The food is way too fancy, and I think I've upset my stomach, sorry. But thank you for the invitation. I'll see you guys tomorrow?" He said his goodbye to Ji Min and walked to the door with Jan Di. "Listen, I know you're happy about your friends and seeing them again after so long, but just...sleep on it, okay? Perhaps after a good night's rest you'll see things differently."

Jan Di knew she wasn't going to change her mind but preferred not to tell him that. "I will sleep on it; I promise. Good night." Chul Moo closed the door only to find a fourth delivery man with his hand held up as if he was about to knock.

"I'm sorry, maybe I have the wrong room. Miss Geum Jan Di?" He hesitantly asked.

"She's here." Chul Moo walked to his room but not before watching a huge cart, with what seemed to be a luxury luggage set, being wheeled in. He just turned around, sighed, and went to his room.

Jan Di thanked the man and went to the cases to admire how pretty they were, but when she tried to turn one of the trolleys, she noticed it was heavy.

Curious, she went to open them. Ji Min, by now, was eating one amazing chocolate cake, and after seeing there wasn't anything for him, he decided to attack the desserts. Jan Di noticed a small envelope on top of one of them. It had the keys, the lock combination, and another message.

 _ **We figured you would need more bags and a change of clothes. Hope you like them. -Ji Hoo and Sun Mi.**_

She had to smile at this; of course, Ji Hoo would be the one to think about the most practical gift, and as far as she could see, his girlfriend had been cast from the same mold. She put the key in, turned it around, took out the lock, and unzipped the bag.

"Oh, this is just way too much..." Inside there were winter clothes for her: A jacket, several jeans, cute socks, cardigans and hats.

She loved all of it but was still touched by so much kindness. She closed that bag and went to the other, and here, she could barely contain her tears.

Jan Di had done her best; she really had, but she could only provide the basics for her son, and now, here before her, there were several changes of winter clothes for Ji Min. There were some classic shirts, but there were also clothes with funny characters and bright colors, just perfect for a eight year old boy.

"Ji Min, love? Look, Ji Hoo sent you something"

"Hyung-Nim? Really?" His eyes brightened up.

"Wipe your hands so you can come see." Ji Min did as told and went rushing to his mother.

"Mom, these are like the coolest clothes I've ever seen!" Jan Di knew her son didn't mean anything by it, but she still felt a sad pang in her heart. "I'm gonna look like those kids on TV!"

"You sure will, honey. Why don't you choose what you would like to wear for tomorrow?"

"Yes! Help me, too, Mom." And with that one phrase, Jan Di's heart swelled back to its normal size.

In his room, Chul Moo couldn't help but pace around, thinking about everything that transpired that day. First, there was the encounter of Jan Di and Yoon Ji Hoo, then her leaving with Ji Min for hours, only to come back and tell him she was going to stay a week.

 _And let's not forget that hug I saw. No, wait, hugs. Two of them. What_ was _that?_

It had been a while since Chul Moo felt the urge to smoke, but he thought this situation justified at least one stick. He grabbed his jacket, some money, his keys and went out; he stopped for a second in front of Jan Di's door but then kept going.

He found a store, bought a package of cigarettes, lit one up, and started a slow walk back to the lodging.

Chul Moo was smoking his second cigarette that night when he noticed a van parking in front of him. Out came another delivery guy who nodded when he noticed him; Chul Moo nodded back.

The guy opened up the side door and came out with a long, beautiful vase. It had a white bow around it and a single, large sunflower.

 _Those are Jan Di's favorite._

Chul Moo had been calming down, but once the guy went it, he suddenly felt restless again. That gift could only be for Jan Di, but she had told him there were only going to be four deliveries; besides, this one had come way later than the first four. Each of them had come in a span of 10 or 15 minutes between them, but this was more than half an hour later.

Who had sent that flower?

* * *

Ji Min was peacefully sleeping, and Jan Di was observing her son.

After deciding what he would wear the next day, she asked him to brush his teeth and put on his pajamas. He did so a little sad, claiming he wasn't tired, but as soon as his head hit the pillow, he was out cold. Jan Di just smiled.

She started to organize her things a little bit, putting away the food as best she could; after all, there were two carts of it. She had started to prepare her toiletries for a much needed bath when someone knocked at her door again.

Jan Di found it strange but tied her robe and went to get it.

When she opened the door, there was no one there, but just as she was about to go inside again, she noticed a beautiful sunflower on her doorstep. It was inside an even more beautiful vase with a white bow around it.

She picked it up, looked again down the hall but saw no one, and went in.

Leaving the vase on the table, she took out a small card next to the flower. She had a very good idea of who had sent it but thought that it was also a long shot.

 _I told him so long ago. Did he really remember it?_

Sure enough, when she opened the card there was a penmanship she recognized; it was the same as the last gift she got, and when Jan Di read, she had a hard time stifling a laugh.

 _ **I still say you cheated.**_

"Ji Hoo-ah."

She had once told him sunflowers were her favorite. Perhaps they weren't as famous or sought after as roses, but she felt the sunflower was a happy flower, so she liked it. But Jan Di didn't think he would have remembered after all those years.

Something warm pooled in her eyes, and she finally let the tears she had wiped earlier escape.

The difference this time was that she didn't feel her chest tight with worry or guilt but with something else entirely different.

Once again, she turned to look at her son, at his chestnut hair and cute nose, at his small but full lips. She knew every mother thought of their children as perfect, but Jan Di was different. Ji Min was just who he was, a loving, caring, honest young boy. He was far from being perfect, and that's exactly why Jan Di loved him so much. If he wasn't good at something, he tried a couple of times to see if he could improve, but if after a while he couldn't, he sought help or simply accepted that it was something he couldn't do right now.

While taking her shower, she thought about how she had had the second major scare of her life when Ji Min went missing earlier that day. The first one had been, of course, when she found out she was pregnant.

She had been sure there wasn't any risk at all when her monthly came; it was a bit light but came either way. How was she to know what an implantation bleeding was? She shouldn't have been dealing with this at 18 years old; she also shouldn't have had sex without thinking of the consequences, but she did.

Just remembering the face of her parents, more specifically her mother, when she told them she was pregnant made her heart ache. She had seen the disappointment on their faces, the fury when she refused to tell them who the father was, and despite her mother's promise to drag her to the school to find out, Jan Di didn't give in. She just knew that as soon as her mother found out, she would be much less angry and much more ecstatic, him being a rich heir and all, so Jan Di sealed her lips and bit her tongue; she wouldn't tell them, not even if hell froze over.

As luck would have it, her dad also got an announcement that night. He had accumulated a huge debt and there was no way they could stay in the city any longer; loan sharks were after him. His gambling habits were a true issue, and he would surely be kicked out by his company when they found out. Her family needed to flee to her father's brother's town on a faraway island to try and make some money to slowly repay his obligations.

The news almost gave her mother a heart attack. Luckily, Kang San was sleeping.

Jan Di thought she had cried enough when she found out she was pregnant, but listening to her mother go on and on about how she could have done that to her family and to herself, made her burst into tears for the whole night.

When she was finally allowed to go to her room, she locked the door behind her and sat on her bed. She rummaged under her pillow and came out with the pregnancy stick. She stared at it harder than she'd ever stared at anything, sadly chuckling and trembling at how those two lines would drastically change her life, and it was then that her phone rang. Barely tearing her eyes away from the stick to look at the phone on the bed, she noticed it was Ji Hoo. Of course he would call at a moment like that. He was her firefighter, after all. But she couldn't talk to him right then; he would know something was wrong and want to come over or take her somewhere to talk, and she wasn't ready to talk about it. She took out her phone battery and tossed it somewhere in her room.

That small action was the start of her new life. Never had she thought she would have to leave her friends behind without a word, only to go to a forgotten place on the map to try to learn how to be a mother. It didn't seem real; she kept telling herself those kind of things only happened on dramas or after-school specials, but each time she woke up she was reminded it wasn't a dream. The most undeniable evidence was her large belly, where she could feel the weight of the little life growing inside of her.

Which brought her back to this afternoon. She sighed heavily, remembering how helpless she had felt, how utterly useless as she ran around to different streets but found nothing, no sign of that little life that wasn't so little anymore, of her little prince and sunshine. When Chul Moo called saying he had found Ji Min, Jan Di felt the numbness in her body finally recede, and when she hugged her son, her soul came back of her body. Of course, when she saw that Ji Hoo was the one to find Ji Min, the numbness somehow came back.

Jan Di dried her hair as best she could and called her mother. Their relationship had mended over the years, and even though she still held hopes of one day winning the lottery and living an easy life, she didn't mention it as often. Her mother was surprised by her stay in the city but felt it was okay if her Shinhwa friends were the ones who asked her to. Jan Di promised to keep in touch, sent love to her brother and father, and hung up.

With a last kiss to her son's head, she finally slipped into her bed and closed her eyes. Her mind ran wild for a few minutes; after all, she was going to spend a whole day with F4 tomorrow. More questions were likely to arise, and she promised herself to answer them as best she could.

Jan Di thought about her gifts and the kindness the guys had shown her and finally, fell profoundly asleep.

* * *

 **So? Did you like? I hope you did! Please remember that reviews are love! I can't say enough how happy I felt when I receive your thoughts and feelings about what I write. Thank you all!**

 _ **Coming up in Part of Me:** Jan Di's days with F4 begin. Her new quartes are ready and Ji Min is shocked at such luxury. Woo Bin tells Jan Di what he really feels. A game of life and death makes Jan Di loose her footing and she ends up in an akward situation. _


	6. Every man for himself!

**Hello!**

 **I'm back! And I have a new long, yummy, delicious chapter! LOL...I'm crazy, I know.**

 **For further references about the activity F4 and the rest will do on this chapter, please go to the bottom of the chapter where you can find them in more detail.**

 **Now, I want to thank once more to all of you who have taken the time to write me a PM, a review or put me on alert, I'm very grateful. Today, I think my goal for this fic will be to get 500 reviews by the end of it. HOw's that? Too much? I hope not! And also hope that you're enjoying reading this as much as I enjoy writing it.**

 **Huge shoutout to JHsgf82 who always helps me with the proofreading of my chapters, besides listening to my crazy ideas and helping me mold them into something much, much better. Thanks, Mandy!  
Lyn, you too, thank you so much for your comments and PMs. Oh and, novembershowers, I started reading your fics! Congrats, girl! I'm excited.  
**

 **That's it from my part right now! Hope to see you in the next update. Hugs and kisses!**

 ** _Previously on Part of Me:_**

 _Jan Di was surprised when she went back to her hotel and received gifts from every F4. She later received an extra gift which made her smile and remember that she still had a special place in the F4. She's supposed to wait to see where the F4 will put her and her son for her stay in the city._ **  
**

* * *

When the knock on her door woke her up, Jan Di glimpsed the time on the bedroom's clock and felt she could easily have gotten a bit more sleep. She almost went back to her bed's warmth when she remembered who might be knocking so early.

"Hey, Chul Moo," Her tiredness was evident in the deeper, grainier quality of her voice. Her friend's smile quickly deflated, as he saw she had been sleeping and not even remotely trying to get ready to leave with him.

"Hey, so I guess you're staying." Jan Di noticed he had his bag on him and just then remembered his words from the previous day: ' _Sleep on it, okay?'_

"Um, yeah, I thought about it, and I would like some time to see my old friends, so yeah, we'll stay."

Chul Moo knew that when Jan Di set her mind on something there was no power on earth to change that. "Can I say goodbye to Ji Min?"

"Sure, although he's still sleeping." She opened the door to let him in, and he approached Ji Min's bed. The boy was sleeping soundly, so Chul Moo tried not to disturb him and simply said, 'See you around, Ji Min' before walking to the door again.

"I guess I'll see you in a week?" Chul Moo couldn't help but ask, for he wanted to have a bit of confirmation.

"Yeah, it's Saturday today, so I'm guessing I'll be home by next Saturday or Sunday, tops."

"Okay, so...bye-bye." He put up his hand and waved while turning to leave.

"Bye-bye." Jan Di closed the door and went right back to bed, just wanting to rest a little bit longer.

"Omma! Wake up, wake up, your cell phone is ringing!" Jan Di was suddenly brought back to life by her son and a loud ringing that she hadn't heard before.

"Okay, okay, I'm up! Yeoboseyo?" She quickly answered the call.

" _Good morning, Jan Di-ah, were you still sleeping?"_

Jan Di sighed and plopped back into her bed "Hey, Woo Bin, yeah sorry, I overslept. I'll get ready soon."

" _You should because it's almost 9 and breakfast is going to be at your door any minute now."_

"Woo Bin!" She got up again to quickly pick up her clothes. "There is no need for more food right now, and-"

" _No complaining. As Ji Hoo said yesterday, you owe us a whole lot, so from now on you better get used to being spoiled, you and Ji Min because that's exactly what we're going to do."_ She could actually hear him grinning from the other side of the phone. " _Jan Di?"_

"Yes, yes, I heard. I'm gonna change now."

" _Good girl."_

Jan Di told Ji Min to dress up, and he excitedly asked if he could wear some new clothes. She didn't think that was a bad idea, and in fact, chose something new for herself as well. Ji Min was dressed in some really cool jeans with patches here and there, a horizontally striped t-shirt and, of course, his new sneakers. Jan Di, on her part, chose a new pair of jeans but stuck with her old grey and white sweatshirt; it was comfy and warm. Her hair was not cooperating today, so she decided to tie it in a high bun and let it be.

Not one minute after she finished tying her sneakers, there was a knock at the door. On the other side were the same gentleman from the night before; they took away the dinner cart and left a breakfast one. This time, Ji Min and Jan Di tried an American breakfast: toast, eggs, bacon, waffles, yogurt, cereal, pancakes, coffee, milk, hot chocolate; you name it, and it was there. Jan Di actually laughed at the amount of pancakes on the cart but happily went at them, along with Ji Min.

When the clock struck 10, there was another knock on the door.

"Yes?"

"Miss Geum Jan Di. We are in charge of taking your things to the hotel. Please, follow me, a car is waiting for you." The man before her was bowing and asking her to follow. She did so because, who else was going to show up right then and there to take her away? Still, she quickly texted Woo Bin, and he told her it was okay.

Ji Min was once again excited to be in such a huge car and couldn't stop jumping around the whole way there. Jan Di just let him; he wasn't used to so many road trips.

Not long after, the car stopped, and Jan Di and Ji Min were helped out; they stepped out onto the street and looked upon the building before them; it froze them in place for a bit.

A beautiful woman then went to them and took a bow. "Miss Geum, welcome to The Shilla Seoul hotel. We are honored to have you with us. Please, follow me."

Jan Di blindly offered her hand to her son, and he took it. She was too shocked at seeing such grandeur; she knew about how F4 lived the high life, but perhaps she had spent too long away from them. _I'm definitely not used to this anymore._

Jan Di suddenly felt way underdressed for this place. The hotel exuded luxury from the moment you set a foot in it. She looked down and saw that her little man was also impressed, his eyes wide open, same as his mouth, which was forming a little "O." Although, she could also feel him squeeze her hand tighter, as if asking her not to leave him alone.

 _Never, my little prince._

They were joined shortly after by a man who had all of their luggage on a weird cart with silver handles. Jan Di and Ji Min were led to an elevator, and before its door was an older man with a clean aspect, face shaven, not a hair out of place, wearing a serious gaze and an expensive looking suit.

"Miss Geum," he offered his hand to her as soon as she reached him, "I am the manager of the hotel. I would like to personally welcome you to Shilla; we hope you have a great stay here. Please, if there is anything you don't like about your accommodations, just call the front desk, and they'll take care of it. If you encounter any problem at all, please call me." He took out one business card and gave it to her. "It is our pleasure to have you here." And here, he looked down and for the first time, smiled. "Both of you. Welcome, young man." He shook Ji Min's hand and finally, called the elevator for them.

Jan Di was still a bit dizzy from all of this, and it seemed that Ji Min was, too because before they got off the elevator at the 22nd floor, he tugged at her sleeve.

"Omma, can you carry me?" This was odd; Ji Min usually didn't like to be treated like a baby, but he perhaps was feeling a bit intimidated by all of this.

"Sure thing, love." She turned around to piggyback him. "Hop on."

They followed the same lady who had received them first down a long corridor, finally reaching a polished door that opened with a card. The bellboy went in first, and Jan Di followed through an inner corridor. She took exactly four steps, and to her right, the room came into view. Well, scratch that, the living room, which was weird...There was a living room in her hotel _room?_

"Should I call a maid to help you unpack, madam?" the bellboy asked.

"No, that's alright, thank you."

"May you enjoy your stay." He bowed before leaving her and Ji Min to explore the room.

Only, this was no room; this was a mini apartment!

To her right, Jan Di had a sort of study area. There was a shiny mahogany desk with a beige leather rollaway chair. Behind them stood a nicely illuminated wine cabinet, also mahogany, with several bottles of different selections of liquor.

"Omma! Look at the TV!"

And she did.

There was a mounted flat screen, at least 50 inches, in front of the living room space. Plush, velvety, beige furniture was presented on a soft, brown carpet with a round center table. In the corner stood a tall lamp that gave nice lighting for when you wanted to relax. A huge window, taking up more than half of the wall, showed her just how high they were in the hotel.

Jan Di could hear her son ooh and ahh over all the luxury of their new hotel. She, finally, got to the actual room part. A double king-sized bed with white, comfy pillows and bedding, another larger than life window, and another 50-inch flat screen tv.

"We have a bathtub!"

Oh yes, they did. A white, square, jacuzzi-like bathtub, and also His and Hers sinks on a marble surface with a pretty plant for decoration.

Subtle, minimal yet elegant. This was a room Jan Di couldn't dream of ever affording, but still, in her brain, besides the calculations of how much this must have costed, she couldn't help but admit it. "It's beautiful."

"Right? It's amazing, Omma! We don't have this much bath space at home! I want to go in!" Ji Min was beyond excited.

"Okay, tiger, calm down," she looked at her watch, "Woo Bin should be here in a few minutes, so we don't have time for a bath right now."

"Aw…"

"I promise I'll fill this for you by night, and I'll even get you some bubbles!"

"Really!?"

"Really, really."

With the promise of a bubble bath for later, Ji Min helped his mother take out the essentials for the room while they waited for F4 to arrive for them.

As Jan Di was putting down a plastic cup with hers and Ji Min's toothbrushes next to the bathroom sink, she heard a doorbell.

 _We have a doorbell?_

"Omma, can I open up?"

"Yes, but ask first who it is."

She saw him dash to the door as fast as his legs could carry him, and she laughed. Her son was happy, thus, she was happy.

She thought for a minute what her day would be like; she was about to go out with F4 and some of their girlfriends. She had to say, the girlfriend part surprised her.

Jun Pyo was a difficult man to deal with, to say the least, at least as far as she could remember. She didn't know if he kept on being like that, but the comments from Ha Jae Kyung the previous day kinda confirmed it. Also, she could imagine that Jae Kyung was from his social circle, or his mother would've thrown a fit; besides, Jae Kyung seemed more than capable of holding her own against the 'Great' Goo Jun Pyo. Jan Di was happy Jun Pyo had found someone to get along with.

Now Ji Hoo, that was a whole different matter. It wasn't as if she thought he wouldn't have a girlfriend; she just didn't think that girlfriend wouldn't be Seo Hyun. She'd been dying to ask what had happened between them after she left, but she thought better of it; after all, she was the one who was due for some explanations. As far as she had seen the day before, Sun Mi didn't seem as clingy or bubbly as Jae Kyung, which must have been what had drawn him to her, probably. Whatever the reason was, she was also glad Ji Hoo had found someone. He deserved happiness, more than anyone she knew; he deserved to have his 'happy ending'.

And the most important thing, she was relieved he wasn't mad at her for disappearing like she did. True, she had left a note, but that was it, and she didn't attempt any contact after that. He had every right to feel as angry as Jun Pyo, perhaps more, but he had received her with open arms and a wide smile. She didn't deserve such good friends.

"Geum Jan Di, I gotta say, you're rocking that hoodie." Woo Bin was wearing track pants, sneakers, a jacket, and his signature killer smile. He had noticed Jan Di's hoodie said 'Beauty is in the eye'.

"Good morning, Woo Bin. Do you need to flirt so early in the morning?"

He winked at her. "Can't help it, doll. It just comes naturally." Of course, this earned him a slap to the arm.

"Do _not_ call me 'doll'".

"I beg your forgiveness, my lady." He joked. "Are you ready?"

"Yeah, am I dressed okay?"

"You are, but you should take a couple of extra t-shirts, just in case, and another change of clothes for the little runt."

Jan Di opened her eyes in surprise and went to the room to take out some clothes as Woo Bin suggested; she noticed her son was in front of the TV eating something.

"What did you give him?" Woo Bin had followed after her.

"Some wheat cereal, don't worry. It has honey in it and stuff."

She stopped folding Ji Min's shirt and put her hand on her waist. "How come you know so much about kids?"

"Big brother of twin girls, remember?" She had forgotten about it. Woo Bin's mother looked 20 years younger than her actual age, and his sisters adored him to bits.

While she caught up on his situation within the Song family, Jan Di couldn't help but smile. Woo Bin was now the Boss of the biggest Korean administrative group. No longer related to the underground world business, the Song family still held respect and fear among its peers; the fact that they didn't want to dirty their hands now didn't mean they couldn't or wouldn't know very well how to do it.

"I'm impressed that your father allowed you to make such a drastic change." She zipped up the small bag with hers and Ji Min's clothes and essentials.

"We're still in change, but it has proven beneficial for everyone. We have ties with some amazingly powerful corporations, and the financial trade has been more beneficial than he would've expected." Woo Bin closed the distance between them, took her hand, and looked straight into her eyes. Jan Di looked confused. "Can I be honest with you?"

Jan Di could guess what he wanted to say and felt her heart stammer for a second. She contained her breath and replied, "Yeah."

"I was...I am so mad that you disappeared. But I'm also mad because no matter how many men I put on the task of looking for you or how much money I spent at finding you, I couldn't."

"Woo Bin…" The air finally escaped her lungs.

"We were all desperate to find you. We knew of your dad's issues after digging a little, and so we also knew we would've been able to help. Your pride, Geum Jan Di, it's a really awful and terrible thing." Jan Di was sad because she knew that even though Woo Bin had been happy and cheerful the previous night, he was now telling her the other part of his feelings. "You have no idea how badly I wanted to yell at you, for the obvious reasons, but also because you made me realize I could take a new path; I set myself to do so, but you weren't there to beat me up if I messed up again. What if I slipped?"

"Woo Bin, you never needed anyone to tell you what to do."

"I know, but as I said yesterday, you are my little sister. I told you as much back when we were in school. At one point, I thought I liked you, but frankly, I can't see you as a woman; that's just...weird." That made Jan Di laugh. "So, I realized you are my sister from a different mother."

"You're my oppa, then?"

"For all that is holy please do not start calling me that." They both laughed out loud.

"I won't, I promise. I...I'm so, so sorry. If I think logically about it, I know all of you would have helped me and my dad, but...I just didn't want to be that kind of friend, and then...well, I didn't know how to face you guys with my huge belly and swollen ankles...And about Ji Min and his father, I-"

"You told us you couldn't talk about it and I won't force it out of you. I respect that we all have some secrets we don't want to reveal."

She felt so relieved at hearing that. "Thank you very much for that."

He took her other hand in his. "You know, the International Business career and my brain played a big part in the change I presented to the Song clan, but Geum Jan Di, your willingness not to take anything lying down, and your fist...," She chuckled at this "were the things which really helped me decide my path. I just...Thank you for coming back so I could tell you this."

Jan Di teared up, and a pair of stubborn tears did escape her eyes when Woo Bin gently held her to him. It brought back an old feeling, to watch as the Don Juan of F4 bared his heart for her to see without any doubts. She had missed her friend.

"I'm not crying," he said when he let her go and was wiping away at his eyes. "There's just too much dust in this room, and if you dare say otherwise I'll make you disappear without a trace."

She widely grinned. "I wouldn't dare go against Song Woo Bin." She bowed, and Woo Bin laughed out loud, thinking about a past occurrence and said, "At least now I don't have to worry about certain F4 catching us and getting the wrong idea."

"Omma? What are you doing? Are you playing something? I want to play, too!" Ji Min had heard Uncle Woo Bin's laugh, so he also wanted in on the fun.

"We're not playing yet, little man. But we're about to." He crouched down to his level. "Are you ready to have the most incredible type of fun you've ever had?"

Ji Min's eyes opened up and seemed to glint at his question. "Yes!"

Without asking, Woo Bin carried him upside down and started running to the door. "Come on, little sister! You're gonna miss all the fun if you don't follow!"

Jan Di had to suppress a laugh and promptly went to follow them.

oº°˚˚°ºoº°˚˚°ºoº°˚˚°ºoº°˚˚°ºoº°˚˚°ºoº°˚˚°ºoº°˚˚°ºoº°˚˚°ºoº°˚˚°ºo

"You're finally here!" Yi Jung welcomed them as soon as they got out of the car.

"We're seven minutes late, get over it." Woo Bin punched him playfully.

Jan Di greeted everyone and was led to a big building with what seemed like mirror walls.

"How did you sleep, Jan Di?" Jae Kyung had interlocked their arms as they walked in.

"Good, very good."

"And how was your room today? We wanted to get you the suite, but Ji Hoo said you'd probably be more comfortable in the other room."

"He was right, too much space just makes me feel nervous."

Jae Kyung pouted. "Really? Well, I could ask my mom to accommodate one of the rooms at the manor."

"Oh, that's okay. I'm quite well there, and Ji Min loves it." She suddenly remembered something. "Do you know if we're near any kind of market? I promised Ji Min a bubble bath later."

"That's going to be so fun! Leave it to me, you'll find what you need when you get there."

"That's- I wasn't trying to-"

"Everyone knows you're not a gold digger, relax." Jun Pyo had caught up to them. "Jae is just trying to help."

Jan Di still felt a bit bad. If it had been one of F4 she would've gotten it, but Jae Kyung had met her not 24 hours before. She turned to said girl and saw her pouting a bit.

"I'm...Thank you, Jae Kyung. It'd be really helpful if you could do that for me."

"Consider it done!" She went off to write something on her cellphone.

"She's really happy because she doesn't have that many friends," Jun Pyo explained.

"I can't imagine why; she's really friendly." Jan Di looked back and saw Ji Min between Casanova and Don Juan, thanking them for the gifts from the day before. Sun Mi was walking next to Ji Hoo. When she saw Jan Di, she smiled and took Ji Hoo's hand. He looked up at Jan Di and smiled as well.

"Yes, she is, but because of that she's been taken advantage of many times. So, when I told her you were a friend of F4 and after she got to see you yesterday, Jae Kyung couldn't help but get excited." Jan Di saw Jun Pyo give her that rare soft smile he had on certain occasions.

"You really love her, don't you?" Jun Pyo didn't answer, but Jan Di could see the slight blush that crept up to his cheeks, so she decided to let it go and gave him a small laugh. She was happy for him.

"Welcome! We've been waiting for you." A tall man, probably in his forties, who looked like he could easily kill a man with his bare hands, walked to meet them. "I'm Yung Tae Wha. I'll be your instructor for today."

"What exactly are we doing today?" Jan Di whispered to Jun Pyo while staring wide-eyed at the bear of a man in front of her, but he just smirked and said nothing.

"If you could please follow me, we've already prepared everything." The instructor showed them to a large hallway, and Ji Min went up to Jun Pyo and also asked him what they were going to do.

"You'll find out in just a second."

Jan Di and Ji Min followed the rest and soon came to a huge hangar-like room. It was dark, illuminated only by colorful beams of light and what seemed like those weird purple light bulbs Jan Di had seen on a police series on TV; it also had walls separated here and there, stairs, and domes...it made her think of a maze.

"As you can see, to your right is the gear you will use and, to your left, is a TV. If you could please first follow me to your left, I can explain the rules, victory points and equipment."

"Omma, what is this?"

"Ji Min," Woo Bin stood in front of everybody with his head down, sighing. He turned his gaze to Yi Jung, and Jan Di followed his gaze. Yi Jung nodded to his friend. Suddenly, Jan Di heard his booming voice. "This...is...LASER TAG!"

"Woo Bin! Did you have to yell to say that?" Ji Min was laughing at Woo Bin, even if he didn't totally get what was going on.

"You haven't watched '300', Jan Di? That hurts my heart; I'm gonna have to set up a movie night with you just so you can catch up."

"Don't worry," she suddenly heard Ji Hoo's voice, "It's not a bad movie, you'll probably like it." He said it kind of distractedly, and Jan Di smiled. "So, long story short, laser tag is like your normal 'Tag' game, except you use laser guns. And before you start protesting," he had seen how her mouth started to open to do exactly that, "those are not real guns, and there is no risk of getting shot because it just 'fires' lasers. We will all watch over Ji Min, and by the time he's done, he'll be ecstatic."

Jan Di crossed her arms over her chest and pouted a bit. "So, you're just not going to let me complain, are you?"

"No." He smiled. "When have I ever put you in danger?"

Jan Di gave him this look that made the rest aware that something was going on. "What about the last time you said something like that?"

"It was one time," Ji Hoo complained to Jan Di.

"What's she talking about, man?" Yi Jung asked, but Ji Hoo simply rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, yeah... " She joked for a bit. "It's okay; I know it's safe, and this is something Ji Min will love, I'm sure. Just look." They turned around and saw Ji Min next to Jun Pyo and Jae Kyung while the instructor gave her friend a gun. Jun Pyo struck a pose, and Ji Min had stars in his eyes while looking at him.

"Let's go guys, or Ji Min is going to wipe the floor with us." Woo Bin pushed them to where the guns were. "Hey, midget."

"I'm not a midget!" Woo Bin just ruffled his hair and made him laugh.

When they were finally done, the whole gang stood before Tae Wha, paying great attention. Actually, F4 was used to this, but the girls weren't, or Ji Min, so standing next to them, they also listened to the instructions.

It was clear they were getting the VIP treatment because all the instructors stopped what they were doing and focused on their group, and Jan Di could only assume that Woo Bin had paid them all well. The head instructor, Tae Wha, pulled out a gun from behind the counter. The thing looked real to Jan Di, though she hoped it was much lighter so Ji Min could handle it.

"Okay, everyone, this here is the Battle Rifle XL…" The macho instructor held up the gun as if it was his baby. Jan Di watched her little man's eyes light up as he eyed the gun in the man's hands. The instructor began to describe how to use the weapon‒what button to hit to start the game, where the trigger was, and where to touch to the charging station.

As if he'd heard Jan Di's thoughts, the instructor then brought out another equally cool-looking but smaller gun and handed it to Ji Min. "The Battle Rifle Pro. This one is for the little man. It's lighter but just as deadly." With eyes wide, Ji Min took it and cradled it in his arms. The instructor showed him the proper grip and praised him for his natural skill. "You got it." He ruffled his hair.

Woo Bin had asked for the three-game package for all of them. The first one would be a solo game; the next would be the 8 of them against 8 instructors, and the last game would be 4 of them against the other 4.

After asking if there were any questions, the instructor and three others led them to the wall off to their right that had a rack filled with black vests, all numbered. The three men and one woman began fitting them with vests, placing them over their heads and clipping them on‒the woman fitted the females and Ji Min with theirs‒and they showed them the sensors on the vests. Sun Mi seemed a little uncomfortable with all the gear on, but Jae Kyung told her she looked great and like a war heroine. Again, the attentive instructors asked if they had any questions. When the answer was no, they were told to wait for a green light and a noise like an alarm, and when that happened, they would be sent out into the arena. There would be a one-minute delay for them to find their positions, and then their guns would be activated and they could begin.

"Remember, if you tag an opponent, you get 2 TP and 200 IP; if you are tagged by an opponent or if you tag your own member, you get -1 TP and -100 IP. Now, if you hit the headquarters, you get 10 TP and 1000 IP. Is everything clear?" They all nodded.

They were taken to the edge of the arena, and while they waited, Jan Di glanced around. Woo Bin was on her left side, Yi Jeong on her right. Jun Pyo and Jae Kyung were across from them, and Jae Kyung was clinging to his arm. "Ya, Monkey, get off. I need this arm." She poked her lip out but let go. And, next to them, Sun Mi stood next to Ji Hoo, not touching him but simply close. Ji Min was excited, holding the gun as he saw in the promo video, which was still playing on a loop on the TV on the left side of the room.

"Are you ready, my little prince?" Jan Di asked, looking down at Ji Min. He nodded with a huge smile on his face.

"So, how are all of you feeling about playing this game?" Jan Di asked. She knew F4 used to go clay-shooting, which she didn't get the point of, but she didn't think they'd ever tried laser tag.

"Great!" Woo Bin spoke up first, and the others nodded. Jun Pyo was, of course, very gung-ho about informing the others that he was going to destroy them all. Jae Kyung started chastising him for that, saying she was going to go after him _first_. Sun Mi didn't say anything but just shrugged a bit, and Jan Di kind of felt as if she didn't want to be there.

"Remember, if you're shot, exit the arena through the side door only. This is last man, or woman, standing." Sun Mi then saw Jan Di smirking at Jun Pyo's menacing stance and also giving Ji Hoo a look. Her boyfriend had a small smile on.

The green light came on, accompanied by the blaring alarm, which startled them at first, but then they were off. The instructors let Ji Min and Jan Di go first, giving them a brief head start and had the others line up behind them. Jan Di held Ji Min's hand as they entered the arena. It was very dark, with only some fluorescent lights scattered about to shine some light on the pathway and on the partitions. Ji Min was soon pulling Jan Di along by the hand and taking her around a pillar. "I think this is a good spot, Omma," he whispered. "Okay," she whispered back, smiling.

Jan Di and Ji Min crouched down, and they could hear the sound of the others' footsteps as they entered the arena. They watched F4 and their girlfriends pass by, each single player or pair looking around the room and then going one way or the other. Jun Pyo walked on steadily ahead with Jae Kyung trailing behind. After a few steps, she split up with him and went to her left. Then Ji Hoo and Sun Mi walked by, and Ji Hoo led them off to the left, to the partition across from where Jan Di and Ji Min were. Following closely behind, Sun Mi stuck to him like glue.

Ji Min was eagerly peeking around the partition. "Now, don't rush out right away, my love. Be patient." Ji Min nodded to her, and Jan Di readied her own weapon, trying to be patient herself. She knew it was just a game, but she was starting to feel the adrenaline coursing through her veins. Then they heard the second alarm, and the room got louder with the sounds of lasers blasting, some talking and shouts when someone would get picked off or picked off someone.

"Okay, Ji MIn-ah, we must try to take them down. We each have 10 lives, so be careful, yes?"

"Yes, omma!"

"Okay...go!"

Ji Min ran from his hiding spot to another while firing his gun. He obviously didn't have the time to aim, but he still managed to land a shot on Jun Pyo.

"Yah!" he exclaimed when he felt his vest vibrate. "Do you want to die?"

"He's just a child, Jun Pyo." Jae Kyung came out and got shot two times, once by Woo Bin and then by Yi Jung.

"Jae, just go hide!" Jun Pyo started running while aiming and successfully taking a few lives from his two friends.

Jan Di decided it was then or never, so she left her hiding spot and shot Jun Pyo from the back and went behind a wall. She could hear him complaining loudly about it.

Just then, she saw a shadowy figure that appeared to be Yi Jung with his gun pointed at someone on the other side. When she turned around, she saw a little head poking from behind a pillar. She turned around, worried, noticing that Yi Jung hadn't shot even though Ji Min was clearly in his sights, but her protective instinct had already kicked in and she picked off Yi Jung with her own gun. Then Ji Min ran on ahead and crouched to try to get to another spot, but he felt his vest vibrating; he had been shot again.

"No!" he yelled, frustrated, and went to hide.

Jan Di knew this was a game, with fake guns, only for fun, but her son had just been shot. Her motherly drive plus the competitive one had kicked in, and she was out for figurative blood.

She knew there were a few guns hidden in places to give more advantage to the players, and she went from spot to spot trying to find them. She felt her vest vibrating two times and saw Jae Kyung was responsible. Jan Di spun around and ducked at the same time, and lying flat on the floor, she shot three times, putting Jae Kyung out of the game.

"No fair!" The first dead person complained and lifted her gun up so that the rest knew not to shoot her anymore.

"Are you okay, unnie?" Sun Mi left her spot to help Jae Kyung.

"Don't come out!" She tried to warn her, but it was too late, and between Yi Jung, Jan Di, and surprisingly, Ji Hoo, Sun Mi was dead in two seconds.

"Did you just shoot me!?" Sun Mi had a horrified expression on her face while looking at Ji Hoo, and Jan Di and Yi Jung took advantage of the situation to roll back to safety. "I can't believe you just shot me!"

"Every man for himself," was his only answer with that boyish grin Sun Mi had only seen the day before.

"Come on, Sun Mi, we need to leave the arena." Jae Kyung tried to comfort her.

Jan Di found a cardboard box in her new hiding place, and surprise, surprise, she found another gun.

"Lucky!" she singsang.

"I'm dead!" She suddenly heard her son's voice, and all bets were _off._

She went out with no intention of protecting herself; perhaps that was what startled the guys the most because they didn't react as fast as they should have. Jan Di was firing shot after shot with the cool resolve of a warrior.

"Shit! How did she get two guns?" Yi Jung exclaimed.

"Same way I did!" yelled Jun Pyo, and the game was on.

Blast after blast were fired; people ran, shouted and covered, and Jan Di put up a good fight, but in the end, she was killed.

Breathing a bit hard, she went through the side door of the arena and was greeted with a huge hug from Ji Min.

"Omma! You were so great! You looked, you looked… great!" She just laughed.

"You looked fierce, Jan Di!" Jae Kyung also joined them.

"Thanks, that was harder than I thought. Only the guys remain, right?"

"Yeah, lets see how long they can hold on."

The girls and Ji Min could see through the 3 Plasma TVs in the room how everyone was doing. Each screen was split in 4, so they had 12 angles in total that allowed them to watch a live feed of how the game was developing. Once again, Jan Di saw that, perhaps, F4 actually could do anything.

"Cooooool…," said Ji Min as he watched, and Jan Di knew he had also realized how different the game now was. Their movements and shots were sharper and calculated; this was kill or be killed.

When they were all down to one or two lives, the tension could be heavily felt. The first one to fall was Yi Jung, followed by Ji Hoo, and then, only two were standing.

"Where is Woo Bin?" Yi Jung stood next to Jae Kyung.

"Knowing him, he must be on high ground." Ji Hoo was wiping some sweat with the towel Sun Mi gave him.

"I don't know, Jun Pyo had a good vantage point for stair entrances."

They suddenly heard a yell and a blare that signaled the end of the game.

"Who was it? Who won?" Jae Kyung was trying to see, and they all realized the outcome when a sulking Jun Pyo entered the room.

"Jun!" his girlfriend went to his side immediately, but Jun Pyo didn't seem to want any kind of attention right now.

"Ahhh...Why am I so cool?" Jan Di couldn't help but laugh when Woo Bin entered the room, obviously not caring about his leader's wounded pride.

Yi Jung, Ji Hoo and Woo Bin started laughing and went to their leader to ruffle his hair and tell him to stop sulking like a three year old. Eventually, Jun Pyo relented, and the guys' banter and punches made Jan Di remember that day at the airport, when they all huddled over Ji Hoo before he left to follow Seo Hyun.

They had little time to keep playing, though because the next game was going to start soon. This time, it would be the 8 of them against 8 instructors, though Tae Wha told Jan Di in a low voice that they'd give them a handicap because of Ji Min and not to worry about him, that they were in good hands. She felt even more reassured now and could also see that Ji Min was eager to go into the arena again.

The second game was on!

* * *

Jae Kyung and Sun Mi were the first to be eliminated, along with three of the instructors, thanks to the vengeance of Jun Pyo and Woo Bin. Jan Di saw Yi Jung protecting Ji Min fiercely and getting shot just because of that, being the third to be killed. She was now in charge of her little man while Woo Bin, Ji Hoo and Jun Pyo tried to take down as many instructors as they could. Jan Di knew the handicap was real because Ji Min was the fourth person to be eliminated, and she was sad to see him go through the side door once again.

"No time for tears, Jan Di; we need to kill all of these bastards to avenge our friends." Woo Bin winked at her, and she laughed, listening to his serious tone, as if they were in a real war.

"Lead the way, captain!" was her answer, and off they went.

It came down to 5 instructors against her, Jun Pyo, Woo Bin, and Ji Hoo. She was ordered to stay hidden, since she only had one life left and they couldn't risk losing more points. Woo Bin tried to get her to a tower, but it was very difficult to do so when a sniper was hindering their every move.

With Jun Pyo's fierceness and Ji Hoo's cleverness, though, they managed to wipe out 2 more instructors, and when things started to heat up, the 3 that were left went for an all-or-nothing approach.

"Take them down!" Jan Di heard Jun Pyo yell, and she heard the blasts going off. Suddenly, there was someone where she was, a young male instructor. He seemed to be surprised, as well, and went to fire his gun, but Jan Di beat him to it, although, not before he alerted the rest of his partners to where she was hiding.

Obviously, the 2 remaining instructors wanted to get her, as she was the 'weak link', so she tried to escape, but in doing so, she just left herself exposed to the sniper. It was over for her.

"Jan Di-ah!" She felt someone pulling her out of the way and a vibration that didn't come from her vest.

"Stop playing hero, Ji Hoo! You have two lives left!" Jun Pyo roared and went after the sniper at light speed while Ji Hoo took Jan Di to another hiding spot.

"You okay?" he asked.

"Yeah, but you should've just let them get me; it was a good distraction," she complained.

"Not on my watch," he said while charging his weapon. "Although...you just gave me an idea."

Ji Hoo explained to her where to stand to be the perfect bait, and he would take down the sniper once and for all before he could hit her. Jan Di did as she was told, and not a second after she stood where Ji Hoo had told her, the blast went off, and they had won!

"You rascal! Who would've thought you would use a woman as bait?" Woo Bin went to Ji Hoo and hugged Jan Di, making her squeal.

"It was a good distraction, and she gave me the idea."

"Hey you! Where's the gratitude for making me save you?" They just rolled their eyes at Jun Pyo.

"Yeah, yeah...whatever. We won!" said Woo Bin again, and he started singing the chorus of 'We are the Champions'. Jan Di laughed at his theatrics, which were met by clapping from their fallen mates, plus the instructors. Jun Pyo tried to jump in, but he was so way off-key that Woo Bin hit him. "Bro, stop pissing on my parade!" Jun Pyo, surprisingly just laughed. "You know it, Ji Hoo! Sing with me! Do you know it, Jan Di?"

She was unsure about her English skills, but this was a song that most of the world knew, or the chorus, at least. "I can try…"

"Great!" He put one arm across Ji Hoo's shoulders and the other across Jan Di's. He tilted his head, and Jun Pyo also put an arm around Jan Di, with a mock sad smile. "Then on one, two…"

They all started singing, and Jun Pyo took his gun and put it in front of Woo Bin as if it were a microphone; Ji Hoo was laughing amidst words, and Jan Di tried to follow as best she could. She hadn't laughed so hard in months.

After a minute of singing, they all clapped and went to get ready for the next game. Ji Min couldn't stop worshiping Woo Bin's skill, much to Jun Pyo's chagrin.

Inside the waiting room, Jan Di found that now there were some bottles of water on a nearby table, and she thanked the heavens for the VIP treatment.

"Yi Jung," she went to her friend while chugging down big gulps of water, "Do you know if I can get the female instructor to come here to help me with the vest?"

"Is it too tight? I can help you loosening it."

"No, I just want to take off my hoodie; I'm suffocating."

"I can take it off for you, wait." He put down his own bottle, took her away from the group, and easily unclasped her vest. "There you go."

"Thanks." Jan Di pulled the hoodie up a bit when she noticed Yi Jung was still standing next to her. "I'm not taking my clothes off with you standing there." She raised her eyebrow.

"No need to be shy." Yi Jung smirked.

"Yeah, right. You," she pointed, "turn around," and moving her index finger in a circle, she told him to 'get lost.'

Yi Jung just chuckled loudly, put up his hands, and turned around.

Jan Di turned her back to the group for good measure and took off her hoodie in one go. Not caring about folding it neatly, she just straightened it up a bit and put it on a chair. As Jan Di did this, she realized she needed help again, and just as the thought was crossing her mind, she heard a voice that, she was sure, had made hearts skip a beat all over Korea.

"Want some help with that?" It was Yi Jung again, obviously. She just rolled her eyes.

"Yes, please." Jan Di had a white tank top on now. It didn't cling to her, but it didn't hide her womanly shape either.

After Yi Jung had finished gearing her up again, he stood there with his hand on his chin, as if studying Jan Di.

"What?" she asked him.

"Oh no, nothing. I just always knew you'd be one hell of a woman." And he winked at her.

"Oh, shut up…" But she still laughed. It wasn't everyday that she received compliments; now she was, and from the Casanova no less. She felt her pride inflating a bit against her better judgement. "I bet that's one of your pickup lines."

Yi Jung openly laughed, and Jan Di did the same. "How I've missed you, Geum Jan Di. This place just wasn't the same without your snarky remarks."

"Hey, what are you doing over here?" Woo Bin had come to check on them. "Let me in on the fun."

"Oh nothing," Yi Jung's laugh was still present in his voice, "I was here telling Jan Di-"

"-that the next game is about to begin!" She cut him off, still laughing a bit.

"Okay?" Woo Bin said, a bit confused, but his two friends were laughing, so he thought it was okay. That was until Yi Jung smiled like the cat that got the canary. "Hold on a bit, are you making a move on my sister, man? Because let me tell you I will beat you to a pulp if I find out you're messing with her." His threat was not entirely empty but not serious either; he knew Yi Jung didn't feel that way about Jan Di, but it was easy for him to slip into the role of protective big brother.

"I wouldn't dare mess with her...or, at least, not too much?"

"Yah! Don't get cocky with me!" Woo Bin head-locked Yi Jung.

"Oh my...you guys!" Jan Di started laughing again as her two friends tussled.

"What are you doing?" came the calm voice of Ji Hoo, who stood a bit to the side, witnessing what seemed to be a wrestling match. He cocked his head to the right and then asked Jan Di, "Who's winning?"

She wiped a tear and gathered enough air to answer him, though her belly was starting to hurt. "I don't know." Ji Hoo looked curiously at them once more; well, everyone was looking at them now. When he saw that his friends would not stop until one of them won, he went to Jan Di and put his hands on her shoulders, startling her for a second. He leaned down, so they were at the same level, "We should give them more space," and he gave her a small smile.

Before Jan Di could react, Ji Hoo turned her around, and once again grabbing her shoulders, led her to the rest of the group.

Jan Di felt a bit of a blush spreading across her cheeks; after all, her shoulders were bare now, so Ji Hoo was directly touching her. Still, she quickly dismissed this, for she knew Ji Hoo had never been one to think much about these kind of actions. His girlfriend, however, didn't seem to know this about Ji Hoo because she was intently looking at the place where he was touching Jan Di.

"It's okay, Ji Hoo," she quickly told him, "let's watch who wins?"

He nodded and let go of her; at the same time, Ji Min came to her excitedly.

"Omma, do you think Uncle Woo Bin or Uncle Yi Jung will teach me how to fight?"

Jan Di laughed a bit. "You can ask them. There's nothing wrong with learning a bit of self-defense."

Ji Hoo had gone to Sun Mi's side to ask her who she thought would win.

"I don't know," Sun Mi was clearly surprised at the macho display in front of her, "I also didn't know they could wrestle."

"F4 was trained in different combat styles," Jun Pyo offered. "There was always a chance of getting kidnapped when we were younger, so we needed to know how to defend ourselves."

Jan Di and Jun Pyo shared a look.

"I think Yi Jung will win, look." Jae Kyung and the rest turned to watch as Woo Bin seemed to be getting less and less oxygen as the seconds went by, for Yi Jung had him trapped in a headlock and was holding on tightly.

"You can do it, Uncle Woo Bin!" Ji Min exclaimed.

"Hold on and don't let go, Yi Jung!" Jun Pyo countered.

Jae Kyung started clapping rhythmically, and Jan Di followed suit.

Just a few more seconds and Woo Bin tapped the floor three times, conceding defeat. Yi Jung gave a loud shout, laughing a bit and falling to the floor exhausted. This didn't deter Ji Min, though, and he ran straight to Yi Jung, telling him loudly that he also wanted to do the same.

Jan Di, once again, found herself thinking that this was nostalgic, like reliving part of her high-school life.

"Excuse me." Tae Wha had come into the room. "Are you ready to start the next game?" They all said yes and went to the edge of the arena once more. "Now, because there's eight of you, you'll be split into teams of four. To make it fair, we'll draw names out of this box." He signaled to another member of the staff who had a small box in her hands. "You'll either be on Team 1 or Team 2." They all nodded. "However, there's a child present, and we will respect his wishes if he wants to play with his mother."

"Yeah! I want to be on Omma's team." He beamed.

"Ji Min-ah," Jan Di interrupted, "it's okay if you want to team up with someone else, Woo Bin perhaps?"

"No, that's okay, Omma. I want to to play with you." And her heart melted a bit while the instructor chuckled.

"That's alright. Here are the eight names." He showed them the pieces of paper, and he took Ji Min's name out. "And now, only seven will go into the box. Geum Jan Di-sii, are you okay with being on Team 1?"

"Yes, that's okay."

"Well then, the first one for Team 2 is, Heo Sun Mi." She went to stand on the opposite side from Jan Di. "Next, for Team 1, So Yi Jung." He sauntered to where Jan Di was and picked Ji Min up. "For Team 2 now, it's Goo Jun Pyo."

"You're all so dead," he threatened, and Jan Di just rolled her eyes.

"Now, for Team 1, the last member…" There were Woo Bin, Jae Kyung, and Ji Hoo as possible members. "Yoon Ji Hoo." He smiled and went to their side, giving Yi Jung a high five.

"Figures you two would end up together," chuckled Woo Bin while pointing at Ji Hoo and Jan Di, "It's like Fate!" He went to his team's side and caught Sun Mi's glare. "I mean, you know, as teammates."

Sun Mi just sighed off to the side while rolling her eyes. Woo Bin went to stand next to her and nudged her a bit, while whispering, "Hey, you know that was a joke, right? I was trying to psyche them out a bit. I already told you, you have nothing to worry about."  
"Yeah, I know. It's okay." She smiled at him, and he smiled back.  
"Good, because we are so going to toast them, you know?" And at this, she laughed and Woo Bin felt more relaxed.

So, it ended up being Sun Mi, Jun Pyo, Woo Bin and Jae Kyung on Team 2 and Jan Di, Ji Min, Yi Jung and Ji Hoo on Team 1.

"Players, get ready!" Tae Wha's voice boomed around them, and they waited for the signal once more.

As soon as they heard it, they all sprinted to different places. Yi Jung ran with Ji Min on his back, making Jan Di smile; the whole F4 had taken such a quick liking to her son.

Yi Jung took cover and was followed by Ji Hoo and Jan Di.

"So, we have only five lives each; this game will be harder, Ji Min-ah." He turned to the little boy. "I'm going to take you up there," he signaled above them to where there was a good spot for a sniper. "I want you to help us take as many enemies down as you can; we won't be able to see them because they'll be running around us, so I want you to help us, okay?" Jan Di noticed he was trying to give her son something to do without making him feel like the 'kid.'

"I saw Uncle Woo Bin doing it earlier. I can do it, too," Ji Min said with confidence.

"I'm going to scope a bit; they'll find us soon if we don't move," Ji Hoo told them before running to hide behind a wall.

Yi Jung and Jan Di wished him luck and then turned to put Ji Min up in the bunker-like structure.

"Be safe," Jan Di said before following Yi Jung to a different wall.

The game seemed to be stalled because neither part was making a move, all too worried about losing lives too fast to take the first step. However, that all changed when a laser-like sound was heard and seconds later, a complaint that sounded a lot like Jun Pyo.

"Go!" Yi Jung pushed her, and she went to land an attack. Bad luck for her, she encountered Sun Mi first. They both seemed very surprised but the hesitation quickly melted, and they both lifted their weapons.

"What's that!?" Jan Di asked in horror, and Sun Mi turned her head, earning three shots to the chest before she realized she had fallen for the oldest of traps. Still, she managed to shoot once, and Jan Di felt her vest vibrating as she ran for cover. She tried to be more careful the next times, and she successfully fired a few shots, some doing damage and others not, but the star of the show was Ji Min, firing as well as he could and as many times at anyone who crossed his teammates' path.

Unfortunately, Jun Pyo quickly noticed the strategy and went for Ji Min, but this cost him his first teammate.

"I'm dead!" Jae Kyung raised her gun and started to leave the arena. Jun Pyo cursed under his breath and went for Ji Min faster; the poor child never stood a chance against a man, and one such as Goo Jun Pyo, at that, but he didn't go down without fighting. He managed to take two of Jun Pyo's lives.

Jan Di saw her little prince running towards the side door with his gun held high, and now the fight was between Jun Pyo and Yi Jung, who had realized his intentions before and had tried to reach Ji Min but was a step too late.

Luckily, he killed Jun Pyo, and now there were 3 persons from Team 2 and 2 persons from Team 1 in the arena. Things got a little out of hand when Jun Pyo left and blasts were fired everywhere. Sun Mi died, same as Yi Jung, and now they were down to Woo Bin, Ji Hoo, and Jan Di, all three with only one life left.

The fallen were biting their nails in the waiting room, watching as their friends were in hiding, trying to come up with the best strategy to win.

The screen showed a large wall with a middle opening; Yi Jung had seen Ji Hoo and Jan Di run there last, and Woo Bin was on the other side, trying to move closer, carefully.

"What are we going to do?" Jan Di whispered while crouching down.

"I'm thinking," Ji Hoo chanced a glimpse and was met with a blast that almost got him, "that I need to get out. He doesn't know we're together, so we have the surprise factor."

"Jan Di-ah, Ji Hoo-ah," Woo Bin exclaimed in a sing-song voice, "Come out, come out wherever you are."

"That bastard." Ji Hoo chuckled.

"He likes to push your buttons, right?" She also had a smile on her face.

"He's a master at manipulation." Ji Hoo started thinking again but was once again interrupted by Woo Bin's voice.

"You can't protect Jan Di forever, Ji Hoo! Why not just come out and get this over with?"

"If we stay here together, we'll be fishes in a barrel." Ji Hoo pointed out.

Jan Di noticed he was getting ready to make a run for it and confront Woo Bin, but if he did, she was sure he would get shot. Woo Bin had proven to be one of the best at this game, after all, and she couldn't let Ji Hoo sacrifice himself for her.

"Ji Hoo," Jan Di said in a harsh whisper. "What?" he asked before dashing out, or well, trying to dash out, actually because Jan Di grabbed Ji Hoo by the vest and pulled to stop him for a second so that they could think. But she'd clearly misjudged a few things, namely, the force of her tug and his body weight because she was now thrown completely off balance and was hurtling toward the floor. But not only her…

Surprised by her sudden pull, Ji Hoo had spun around to face Jan Di, and when he saw her falling, he had dropped his gun and thrown his arms around her waist to try and steady her...but it was no use. Now, they were both plummeting toward the ground, and it didn't help that she was holding tightly to his vest with both hands, which only served to pull him down harder. Jan Di had also dropped her gun in an attempt to regain her footing but failed. Despite Ji Hoo's best efforts to stop it from happening, Jan Di ended up on the floor on her back, and he was on top of her.

In the waiting room, Ji Min looked confused; he had seen his hyung try to get out and then suddenly disappear, followed by the sound of guns clattering on the floor. "Where did he go?" he asked Sun Mi, but she also didn't know.

Ji Hoo was, at the moment, partially on top of Jan Di. He'd thrown one of his hands out at the last second to catch himself, to prevent his entire body weight from hitting her, so now he had one arm around her waist and the other flat against the floor; her legs were between his, and he was hovering over her. They remained like that for several seconds, just staring at one another in the darkened room.

"S-sorry," Jan Di managed to whisper. Her heart was positively racing, and her eyes were wide.

"It's okay," he whispered back, his eyes mirroring hers at the surprise of finding themselves in such a position. A few seconds passed, and he chuckled softly at the scenario. Somehow, it felt like old times, her getting into a _situation_ , him trying to rescue her...only this time, it backfired.

She let out a small, quiet laugh in response, and Ji Hoo followed her lead.

"Was this part of your plan to win the game?" he whispered.

"No!" But she couldn't stop smiling. "I was just trying to stop you for a second! What good will it do if you end up dead?"

"You do know it's just a game, right?"

"Oh, don't you start with me, mister I'll-use-my-body-to-shield-you-from-a-fake-laser."

They looked at each other and did their best to stifle their laughter. For a moment, it seemed as if they had forgotten they were in the middle of a game, and they were still practically glued together on the floor.

Ji Hoo realized this first, also the fact that he still had his arm firmly around her waist, and he tried to get off of her. As he started to do so, Jan Di raised her head and caught sight on her left side of Woo Bin appearing from around the wall's furthest corner. Woo Bin stopped for a second, stunned by the sight before him.

"Look out!" Jan Di shouted, and instinctively, she grabbed Ji Hoo's vest with her left hand and pulled him against her body again, while at the same time, her right hand went to grab the gun that was lying beside her. She didn't hesitate and fired, taking out Woo Bin.

"Ohhhh, man, no!" Woo Bin exclaimed in frustration.

"YES!" Jan Di exclaimed, and she laughed loudly. "Ha! I killed you!" She looked back at Ji Hoo. "I killed him!"

Ji Hoo lifted his head a bit; he had been surprised by her sudden actions but understood that there had been no time to explain. "Quite the assassin, you are." He was laughing at the awkward situation, mainly because he had yet to stand up, so he thought it was a good moment to do so.

He quickly pulled himself up and offered his hand to Jan Di to help her. She quickly took it and stood up, beginning a strange victory dance.

"What was that?" Woo Bin asked Ji Hoo, totally dumbfounded at having lost and by the position he found them in.

"She tried to stop me from confronting you, and we tripped and fell." Ji Hoo shrugged.

"Omma!" Jan Di suddenly turned around and picked up her son, mid-jump. "You won! You won!"

"I did, my little prince! Well, we did." She turned to Ji Hoo and smiled.

"Your mom has learned fast," Woo Bin told Ji Min as Yi Jung went to Ji Hoo and tackled him to the ground.

Jun Pyo was, surprisingly, taking his team's loss very well, and when all was said and done, the absolute winner of the day was Woo Bin, who received some kind of diploma and fake medal. However, in a gesture that made the hearts of all present females in the room melt, instructors included, Woo Bin crouched down and called Ji Min over to put the medal around his neck.

oº°˚˚°ºoº°˚˚°ºoº°˚˚°ºoº°˚˚°ºoº°˚˚°ºoº°˚˚°ºoº°˚˚°ºoº°˚˚°ºoº°˚˚°ºo

It had been a good experience, and Jan Di was tired, but it was a good kind of tired.

They were leaving the premises after thanking the kind Tae Wha for his instructions, all discussing lunch options for their next activity.

Jan Di heard Ji Min saying to Jae Kyung that he wanted seolleongtang, and she laughed a bit. Here they were, surrounded by the four most powerful men in Korea and their rich girlfriends, and her son wanted something as typical as that.

"That was fun, wasn't it, Jan Di-ah?" Yi Jung turned around to ask her.

"It was. I'd never done something like that before."

"And we haven't done this in a while. Last time was…" His eyes darted around trying to remember the date.

"More than ten months ago, when Jun Pyo and Woo Bin made a bet over who was better, and they unexpectedly tied," Ji Hoo provided when he noticed his friend couldn't come up with the date.

"That's true! Man, that day was awful! I couldn't walk straight for a day! With all the running and crouching...At least, I'm glad those two didn't put the girls up to that."

"And why not?" Jan Di asked, feeling the feminist in her flaring up. "We can do whatever you men can do, and better in some occasions."

"Whoa, wait, I'm not saying that you can't do it, but really, Jan Di, that day was more like boot training camp than playing tag. And a woman's body is different from a man's, you have to agree with me on that."

Jan Di thought about it for a bit and saw that Yi Jung wasn't really trying to make a degrading comment.

"Well, Jan Di is not as thin as before," Ji Hoo said, and the rest of the F4 knew that was _not_ a comment one made lightly.

Jan Di chuckled a bit and looked down at her body. She still hadn't put her hoodie back on, and her tank top left a lot of her to sight. "Now, that's something every woman wants to hear. I had a baby, so of course, my body was going to change."

Ji Hoo immediately noticed his mistake; he knew about never talking to a woman about her weight, or well, at least his experiences with Seo Hyun and Sun Mi had taught him that. He tried to think quickly about something to correct his error, and his friends noticed, but even when they tried to signal him to zip it, he didn't catch on it.

"I didn't mean anything wrong by it; you're...healthier." He finally provided.

Jan Di had a confused expression on her face while the rest of the F4 let out a collective sigh. Jae Kyung saw the guys were all making funny expressions and told Sun Mi and Ji Min they should probably go back to see what was going on.

"Keep digging that grave, Ji Hoo. Personally, Jan Di-ah," Yi Jung put his arm around her shoulders, "I think you've filled out beautifully; we could go on a date tomorrow." He finished with a wink.

As for Ji Hoo, he felt bad. He had noticed her body when they fell in the last game, but it wasn't like he did so in a sleazy way. He was just happy to feel and see that Jan Di wasn't as thin as her high-school self. Ji Hoo had always been worried about her weight because she was a swimmer and used to train a lot. And of course, Jan Di had had a baby, so her hips were fuller and her body more shapely and...he needed to stop going down that route.

Jan Di knew Ji Hoo had meant well. He was always bringing her food or asking her if she'd eaten when they were in school, so she decided to give him an out. Just as the girls arrived, they heard Jan Di say, "Well, you're not as skinny as before, either. Have you been lifting weights?" Now it was Ji Hoo's turn to look confused. "You used to be so scrawny, Ji Hoo, but now you have...muscles." Jan Di finished, moving her hand up and down in his direction.

Ji Hoo could feel the tip of his ears getting hot when the rest of the F4 started laughing out loud.

"You're not as skinny as before, but I could still haul you over my shoulder," he told Jan Di, and she immediately remembered that time he had done so years ago.

"I'm way heavier than I look, Ji Hoo."

"Can you lift me?" Jae Kyung excitedly asked him. She loved Jun Pyo, but she would be lying if she didn't admit that Ji Hoo was just as handsome. It was like being friends with your idol, so she wasn't about to miss her chance.

"Yah, monkey, what are you saying?" Jun Pyo was not happy, but before he could say one more thing, Ji Hoo swiftly picked up Jae Kyung in his arms, in what could only be described as a princess hold.

Ji Hoo had a tiny, smug smile on his face, and Jun Pyo (and now Sun Mi) didn't look pleased.

"I can also carry her!" Jun Pyo told Ji Hoo.

"Here we go again with the competition," Woo Bin whispered to Yi Jung while they laughed.

"I can! Or you, Jan Di." Jun Pyo turned quickly to her and tried to scoop her up, but Jan Di beat him to it and dodged him.

"Oh no, nobody is carrying me," she stated.

"Is that a challenge I hear?" Yi Jung was now really interested in what they were saying.

"It definitely was, bro." Of course, Woo Bin, his brother in arms, was right there with him.

Jan Di felt the hairs of her skin standing on end. She could see Ji Hoo was putting Jae Kyung down and that all of the F4 were now prowling around her. "Wait...guys..." She put her hands up, as if trying to calm wild beasts.

No such luck.

"Whoever catches Jan Di first wins!" Yi Jung loudly exclaimed, and that was her cue. Jan Di ducked and sprinted to her right as fast as she could while Woo Bin, Jun Pyo, Yi Jung, and Ji Hoo all nipped at her heels, smiles on their faces.

"Omma! Don't let them catch you!" She heard her son saying. And she didn't want to be caught, but the area surrounding the Laser Tag Centre was a big, green garden, so she knew she wouldn't be able to hide at all.

Although she could hear the guys already getting near her, Jan Di realized she was smiling like crazy, feeling free as she slipped away from Yi Jung's hold and suddenly changed her path when Ji Hoo tried to catch her.

"Jun! You must catch her! Go, go, go!" Jae Kyung was cheering on her boyfriend from the sidelines, along with Ji Min, only he was rooting for his mother. Sun Mi, on the other hand, once again found herself speechless at watching _the_ F4 running around, yelling, trying to catch a girl as if they were on a junior high school playground.

Jan Di could feel her heart pounding so fast it actually hurt and a pain in her ribcage wanted to start, but she still didn't give up. Jun Pyo almost caught her one time, and Ji Hoo actually managed to take her by the arm and spin her around to face him, but she twisted to the other side and escaped his hold. She was giving a good fight, but nothing can last forever. When getting air became a really impossible task, she slowed down; as she did, she saw Woo Bin coming directly at her in a full-on tackle position.

Jan Di screamed as she found herself hauled over Woo Bin's shoulder.

"Good job!" Yi Jung high-fived his brother when he caught up with him. "You're the absolute winner today, man."

"I so am!" Woo Bin was laughing loudly as Ji Hoo and Jun Pyo also came up to them. "Jan Di-ah, you really are light; I can't feel a thing carrying you!"

"Oh, just shut up, will you? And let me down!"

"Oh no, no way. I caught the prize; I'm keeping it." And he tightened his hold on her legs.

"Besides, the view from here is amazing," Yi Jung teased. "I can see that you really are a woman now."

"So Yi Jung, you better tear your eyes away from my behind before I tear them out of your head with my bare hands!" Jan Di threatened.

"Can't blame a man for enjoying the view, Jan Di."

"Ugh...Is someone near him? I don't care who, just hit him!"

Yi Jung kept laughing until he felt two hard punches, each on both of his upper arms, courtesy of Ji Hoo and Jun Pyo.

"Woo Bin," Jan Di called as they made their way back, "can you please put me down now?"

"No way. I'm not letting my prize go." He chuckled, knowing perfectly well that Jan Di was hating every minute of this. But he didn't count on her quick mind.

"Please... _oppa?_ "

"Oh, hell no!" Woo Bin immediately put her down. "You are _not_ starting to call me 'oppa'. I thought we talked about this in the morning!"

"And I thought I told you to put me down!" Jan Di had a scolding tone to her voice but was still laughing, same as the rest of the group, who knew the only two people allowed to call him 'Oppa' were his little sisters.

The F4 and Geum Jan Di walked across the grass, laughter all around them. It was like one of those days in school when they'd pick her up to go try a new dish at the porridge shop. Even though F4 hadn't separated in so many years, to have Jan Di laughing alongside them made them feel as if the group was truly complete once again.

"Why did you catch my omma?" Ji Min was sulking a bit at his hero for the day; he didn't like that his mom had lost.

"It's okay, baby. It was a game. And what have we always said about games?" Jan Di crouched to remind her child of the lesson.

"Sometimes you win, and sometimes you lose," Ji Min answered, a bit sad.

Jun Pyo started to interrupt, saying that wasn't true, but a look from Jan Di quickly shut him up.

"Exactly, and this time Omma lost...Okay? That doesn't mean Woo Bin and I are no longer friends. We'll play again, and I might win!"

Ji Min accepted the explanation with a smile.

Jan Di felt her bun coming out pretty fast, so she undid it to tie it back one more time, but when she let her hair down, she heard a squeal behind her.

"Look at your hair! It's so long and pretty!" Jae Kyung fussed over her.

"R-Really? Actually, I never have the time to cut it, so it ended up like this." She mused, taking notice of how unkempt she felt her hair was in comparison to Jae Kyung's or Sun Mi's.

"It's very pretty. You've never dyed it, right?"

"No, never had enough or was interested enough. I've had it shorter, and it was easier then."

"How short are you talking about?"

"Oh, Jan Di's hair was way up here when we were in school." Woo Bin moved his hands to his neck to show how short it had been.

"Do you have pics?" Jae Kyung wanted to see how Jan Di looked back when she was with the guys.

"As a matter of fact I do! I'll bring them around one of these days."

"Please don't. High school was a nightmare," Jan Di asked of Prince Song, but he simply smiled as an answer.

"Do not cut your hair, Jan Di. I know we can do something great with it on our day!" Jae Kyung clapped her hands while asking as Jan Di started putting her hair back in the bun.

"I'll see what I can do."

Jan Di had been watching her son fidget for a whole minute before he approached Woo Bin and Yi Jung.

"Uncle Woo Bin, Uncle Yi Jung…"

"Yeah?" Both of them paid all their attention to the little boy.

"Would you teach me how to wrestle like you did a while ago?"

Woo Bin scooped him up and started walking towards the car.

"Geum Jan Di. We will need about...let me see...five years to turn Ji Min into an amazing martial artist, so just leave him with us and come back in that time." Yi Jung winked at her while following his brother.

"Yah! Where do you think you're going? Do not even dare joke about something like that! You guys are _so_ dead!" And she was running once more.

Jun Pyo and Jae Kyung were laughing out loud at the display while Ji Hoo hung back with an arm around Sun Mi's shoulders.

"You really seem close," she told him.

"We are." He answered with a smile and walked to the car with her. What Ji Hoo had meant was that F4 and Jan Di were close, but what Sun Mi had asked was if he and Jan Di were close.

Sun Mi still wasn't sure about how she felt regarding Geum Jan Di. She had known her for a day and a half, but in that space of time, Sun Mi had noticed how different the whole F4 had behaved.

She had known Woo Bin first. After their parents got reacquainted at a restaurant one night four years ago, they had begun talking. With time, he had introduced her to his friends and brothers, the F4. Of course, she knew about them; there was no one in Korea who wouldn't know about F4, but she didn't know she would be so stricken by Ji Hoo's features, and later on, his character. True, it was a very difficult character, but she felt as if they connected somehow.

It had taken a long time for him to open up to her, but at the first crack Sun Mi found, she weaseled her way in and secured a place. When she confessed to him, she saw the surprise in his eyes, as if he couldn't believe it, and he had even asked her for some time to think about it. Sun Mi had thought it was a lost cause until she heard the rumbling of a motorcycle outside her house. She always feared for his safety when he rode his bike, but he had always assured her that he was very careful. But the main thing was, he had come to accept her confession and held her in his arms while he said so.

F4 had been immensely happy about the news, Woo Bin even more, for he had been her confidante, the one who told her about Ji Hoo's favorite foods and quirks so she could snatch his heart, and it had worked. Jae Kyung also gave her a bone-crushing hug and congratulated her, saying they were like real sisters dating brothers, which actually sounded weird to her, but she accepted it, nonetheless.

Sun Mi's life was good. She had loving parents and a good head on her shoulders, and despite the easy life she led, thanks to her parent's money, she was very down to earth and kind. Then, she got Woo Bin as a friend, and later the whole F4 plus a female friend who, even though she was a bit crazy, was also very kind. Finally, Sun Mi got Ji Hoo as a boyfriend, and she couldn't have been happier about it.

Sun Mi's life was good, happy, and followed a simple routine.

Said routine cracked when Jan Di appeared. Everything she thought she knew was shattering around her. Not in a bad way, but she was just surprised at how much she didn't know about F4, Jae Kyung, and even her own boyfriend.

What did Jan Di have that made all of them simply be themselves?

And as much as Sun Mi didn't want to admit it, she was a bit jealous of Jan Di's relationship, not only with Ji Hoo but with the whole F4.

 _Don't be petty, Heo Sun Mi. You just haven't taken the time to get to know her. If she's a dear friend to your friends, you should make an effort to know her, too._

* * *

 **Laser tag scoring:**

 **TP:** Team Point

 **IP:** Individual Point

 **Did you like it, did you like it? Let me know in a review! Remember we have a goal to reach! Hehehehe**

 **Oh! Remember to check the Pinterest board! I updated it =)  
www. pinterest nerwentasartir /part-of-me / (Delete the spaces)  
**

 _ **Coming up in Part of Me:**_

 _Someone else is joining the party. Jan Di makes a confession she has never told anyone before. A museum is the destination for the next day and Jae Kyung, Sun Mi, Yi Jung and a surprise guest go along. A night of entertainment awaits!_


	7. Museums, pottery and movies

**Well, hello again!**

 **I know I haven't been here in more time that I would like to mention, but please, do not hit me (just joking...) It's getting more difficult to write now because of the work but I'm still at it. I'm also very grateful for your constant encouragement, PM's, words and reviews. They really, really help me to keep going with this story.**

 **Something I noticed just recently is the country stats for this story and for the ranking I'm going to exclude USA. No, please, don't put on that face. I love my USA readers, you represent 80% of the amount of people who come and read and you'll probably always will. So, you guys have an honorary special place in the stats and in my heart.**

 **Now, after USA, the first three countries who most read this story are India, Chile (Muchísimas gracias ¿eh?) and Vietnam! I'm so very thankful to you guys, and also to the last three countries in the stat, you are from Bahrain, Europe and Malasya! I mean wow, really...wow. We're so, so, SO far away and we're still somehow connected through this story. To all the readers spread throughout the world, you have my eternal thanks. This wouldn't be possible without you.**

 **A very special thanks to my very good friend JHsgf82. Mandy, without you I wouldn't be able to think so much. Thank you!**

 **WARNING: There is a small mention of abortion in this chapter. I'm very respectful of every opinion and won't mention my personal standing in this matter. Whether you are in favor or against the choice of abortion, please take into mind this is a work of fiction. Thank you very much for your understanding *bow***

 _ **Previously on Part of Me:**_ F4 and Jan Di went out to a laser tag centre where they had lots of fun and a couple of games, being Woo Bin the ultimate winner of the day. F4 chased Jan Di around a huge garden and they easily laughed remembering the school times. Sun Mi decides to try to befriend Jan Di and now, the gang is going to have a well deserve lunch.

* * *

Soon, they all arrived at a fancy restaurant in which they were led to a private area for a fun lunch. Anecdotes were told, memories surfaced, and Jun Pyo was laughing so much, water shot out through his nose, much to everyone's amusement.

At one moment, Woo Bin left the table to take care of a call, and the laughing started to wind down a bit.

"I can't remember when was the last time I laughed this much. Man, my stomach hurts." Yi Jung wiped at a tear.

"You guys are just hilarious!" Jae Kyung added, surprised at how much the guys had opened up in just an hour.

"It wasn't that funny." Jun Pyo scoffed.

"Jan Di-ssi?" Sun Mi tried to take advantage of the fact that the guys seemed busy talking. "How old are you?"

"Oh, I'm 26, 27 this November."

"I'm 23."

"Really? I thought you were older. You are way more mature than this pack of wolves."

"Perhaps...just a bit."

"Well, anyone is more mature than Jun Pyo." Jan Di turned her head to him but noticed he hadn't heard her jab; she shrugged.

Sun Mi laughed; she knew the leader of F4 was a bit more childish than the rest, but she would never say that to his face.

"Did all of you go through your entire high school life together?"

"No, I was there for some months, maybe a little bit less than half a year while they were already taking college courses, even though they hadn't totally finished high school. That's F4 for you."

"I see. And then you had...well, I mean…" Sun Mi wanted to kick herself. Those topics weren't just brought up like that and she had meant to have a bit more tact.

"Yes, after I left school I got pregnant and had Ji Min. Don't worry, it's not something I'm ashamed of or regret. I was young, but I knew what I was doing and I fully accept the consequences of my actions. You haven't offended me, Sun Mi-ssi," Jan Di said with a soft smile.

"I'm sorry; I didn't mean to. I was just trying to get to know you. Ji Hoo never mentioned...mentions much about these type of things."

"That's Ji Hoo for you."

"What about me?" Ji Hoo had seen his girlfriend talking with Jan Di for a while, and when he heard his name, he thought of jumping in.

"Oh, nothing," Jan Di told him, "just women's talk."

"Jan Di-ah." Woo Bin had come back into the room and called for her.

"Yeah?" She turned to him.

"I think someone here wants to see you. Come in." From behind the curtain, a woman appeared. She had long, chestnut, kinda wavy hair and her eyes found Jan Di immediately.

Jan Di quickly stood up, almost knocking over her chair, and tears came to her eyes.

"It's okay," she heard a voice whispering next to her, "You are still friends, even after all these years. Go."

She nodded and whispered back a quick thank you to Ji Hoo, who had moved to her side for support as soon as he saw Ga Eul entering the room.

Ga Eul put her hands over her mouth, not believing the sight before her.

Without another word, the two long-time friends met in an explosion of tight hugs, tears and apologies.

"Where did you go? Where- where were you?"

"I'm sorry, I'm so, so sorry."

The whole room watched the reunion before them. Yi Jung, Jun Pyo and Ji Hoo lifted their fists to Woo Bin, who in return bumped his own to theirs, the silent congratulatory gesture between F4.

"Omma, why are you crying?" Ji Min, being the sensible kid that he was, hated to see his mother crying.

"I'm so sorry, my love. This is a friend I haven't seen in many, many years, and I'm just so happy to see her again. So these are happy tears, you see?"

"Jan Di-ah…" Ga Eul hadn't missed the 'omma' the little boy had addressed her with.

"Ga Eul, this is my son, Geum Ji Min. Say hello, baby." Ji Min nodded his head and greeted Ga Eul.

"Omo...this, this is your son? You're a mother! Wait...I'm an aunt?"

"You sure are!" Jan Di said loudly, and both friends hugged again, leaving Ji Min even more confused.

"Come on, you guys. You can get up to speed on the latest gossip soon. We're about done here." Woo Bin had approached them. "I'm sorry if this was too big of a surprise, Jan Di-ah."

"No, no, it's okay. We know that if we left things up to me I wouldn't have contacted any of you for at least another six years, and that isn't fair. Thank you...big brother."

"And this room is suddenly dusty. Let's go, you guys! I need to get Jan Di and Ji Min back."

"I'm taking Sun Mi home, so I'm guessing we'll see each other later."

"Hyung-nim, don't go!" Ji Min ran to Ji Hoo's leg and grabbed it like a monkey, with arms and legs. Ji Hoo seemed at a loss for what to do. He was touched by Ji Min's attachment to him, even if it had been just one day.

"Ji Min-ah, let go of Ji Hoo's leg, please. You can see him tomorrow." Jan Di saw Ji Hoo make gestures indicating he couldn't see him the next day, "or the day after."

"No! I don't want to!"

"Ji Min-ah, love-" She didn't want to make a scene, but...

"No!"

"Geum. Ji. Min. You will stop grabbing onto Ji Hoo's legs right this instant or so help me you'll go directly to bed tonight. No bubble bath."

"Jan Di, really it's-" But she held up one hand, effectively cutting off whatever he was about to say, which Jan Di knew was something along the lines of 'it's fine.' She didn't want that, though, when she was trying to get Ji Min to listen.

"I'm counting to 3. One…" Jan Di never got to the other two numbers as Ji Min let go and went to hug his mother, sad that everyone was going. She crouched down and hugged him, speaking now in a voice that seemed to drip honey. "It's okay, we can still meet them this whole week. Okay? No tears now."

Ji Min felt that he hadn't had this much fun ever, so he was really reluctant to let go. He nodded and kept hold of Jan Di's neck. She simply sighed and picked him up.

"Sorry guys, he just wanted to keep playing," By the expressions of F4, she assumed they were prepared to offer whatever they could think of to cheer him up, but she jumped in, "but he knows we need to go." The look on Jan Di's face made everyone relent, and one by one, they said goodbye. Except for Woo Bin, who was going to take Jan Di and Ga Eul to the hotel.

* * *

Jae Kyung fulfilled her promise, and as soon as Jan Di went to the bathroom, she found a basket filled with bubble bath supplies.

Between Ga Eul and her, they supervised Ji Min's bubble bath, and Ga Eul, being a kindergarten teacher, knew all kinds of songs and games.

Knowing that after all the excitement Ji Min would be asleep before his head hit the pillow, Jan Di told Ga Eul to ask for something to eat if she wanted anything from room service and that she'd quickly be out to join her in the 'living room.'

"I'll tuck him in and be there in a second."

Jan Di put Ji Min in the center of the ridiculously big bed and kissed his forehead.

"May you dream with the angels, my little prince."

"Thank you for today, Omma; I had a great time."

Jan Di hugged her son and let him get comfortable while snuggling his puppy plush toy. It was beginning to get a bit old, but Ji Min didn't care. After all, he had slept with it almost his entire life.

When she joined Ga Eul on the couch, seeing that her friend just wanted to jump her with questions, Jan Di intervened.

"Could we please wait until the food comes before you lay the Spanish Inquisition on me?"

Ga Eul looked a bit put out. "It was not going to be the Spanish Inquisition." Jan Di just gave her a look. "Well, okay, maybe a bit. But you owe me!" And why was it that everyone seemed to be using that word lately?

They talked about Ga Eul's work as a kindergarten teacher, about the ex that wanted to get back with her after almost four months of being broken up, about how she was planning on taking another course on ASD, for she had two children this year that needed special attention, but the other teachers just wanted their parents to put them in a different institution.

"They don't have a lot of money and they're already doing their best to put them in our care, so the least we can do is try to learn how to deal with this. We're educators and women who will probably be mothers at some point, and God forbid our little ones ever get something like that. It can be a handful."

"I can't imagine the pain of knowing there's an illness hindering your child's development. I mean, Ji Min is a very healthy boy, but only after a couple of years of his life did I find out about the lot of complications I could've had while pregnant or that he could get. It's terrifying."

"I'm the one who can't imagine. I want kids, at least one someday, but to see all of my children growing up, facing different hardships in their lives...I mean, if I get emotional now I don't know how emotional I'll get when they're my own."

"It's a whole different monster…"

"And speaking of which...Now can we talk about what happened?" Ga Eul took one of Jan Di's hands and heard her sigh. "If you don't want to talk about it, I understand. I just...I don't know why you felt like you couldn't trust me…"

"That's not it at all, Ga Eul-ah...at all."

The doorbell rang, and the food arrived. Both were relieved they got a bit of a reprieve from what was bound to be a heavy conversation.

After Jan Di checked on Ji Min and both she and Ga Eul got comfortable once more on the couch with some snacks to munch on, they began their talk.

"My dad, you know how he used to get in trouble because of the betting..." Ga Eul nodded. "But this time it was really bad, Ga Eul. He had bruises all over his body; he was purple everywhere except for the parts you wouldn't normally show in public. These people roughed him up to make him pay, but he had no money to do so. My mother was going crazy...So many things happened."

"But you know I could've been there for you."

"I know, but you had no money, Ga Eul. And the only way to get them off our backs was to repay my father's debt. Not even quitting school and taking on four jobs would've gotten me near the amount he owed."

"But...I mean, you could've asked for his help...Maybe."

"I know, but I didn't want that." Jan Di gulped a bit of water. "Can you imagine how many women must have asked him the same? Forget that, how many people must have wanted to take advantage of him just because he had money?"

"Well...yeah. But maybe instead of asking him alone you could've talked to all of F4 together."

"I thought about it, but...lots of things were going on; we needed to disappear and _fast._ We were lucky my uncle got my dad something back on the island."

"It is a fishing island?"

"Yeah." Jan Di told her how quickly things progressed from that point on and how sorry she was for not telling her anything.

"I was so worried, Jan Di-ah." Some tears began to fall. "I couldn't get ahold of you by phone; you weren't at your house...The only thing your neighbors knew was that a truck had come to get you and your things!"

"Yeah." Jan Di was also crying.

"You wouldn't believe how worried everyone was! Do you have any idea how many times F4 came to my house? My mom began to think _I_ had some kind of debt or something. Woo Bin, Ji Hoo, Yi Jung, and Jun Pyo, all of them came to my parents' house at least twice." Ga Eul stopped to breathe for a second. "Just promise me you won't do that ever again, Jan Di-ah. I've missed you so much...I love you! You're my sister…"

Both friends hugged, letting out their sadness in hushed sobs and tears.

"I'm so sorry, Ga Eul."

They spent a few minutes like this, until both thought it best to eat a bit more and calm down. Ga Eul wanted to know more but also didn't want to push her friend; she decided to ask but stop if Jan Di seemed uncomfortable.

"And now you're a mother?" She said this with a big smile because she had seen how much Jan Di loved her son.

"Yes, I'm a mother."

"Are you a wife, too?" Jan Di sighed at the excitement on her friend's face, but she needed to tell her the truth. Or...at least as much as she could.

"No, I'm not a wife. Ji Min's father is not with us."

"Did he abandon you two? Yah, Jan Di-ah, if that guy is living on the same island just let me know so I can go and kick him in the-"

"No, he doesn't live on the island. Actually...he doesn't know about Ji Min."

"What!?"

"What happened between us...I mean," Jan Di started to move her hands around a lot, a trait she showed when nervous, "When Ji Min _happened_ , we hadn't known each other for very long." Ga Eul was clearly surprised. "I know, I know...it wasn't something we planned, but…"

"And why didn't you tell him about it?"

"Because he had other places to go, other things to do. We never talked about being a couple or confessed our feelings...It was supposed to be comfort, and we were both stupid. I let myself go and didn't even think about protection. It was my fault, too."

"Jan Di-ah." Ga Eul wanted to say and know more, but she could see that talking about it wasn't easy for her friend. "I can't imagine how difficult it must've been for you. I know some single mothers from the places I've worked, and it's not easy."

"It wasn't easy, not by a long shot. My mother wanted to kill me so bad. We were already in more than enough trouble, and here I came, telling her I was pregnant." Jan Di looked down, not knowing if she could say this, but then...who better to tell these things to than your best friend? "I thought about not having it." She said so almost in a whisper, waiting for the onslaught of reproach. But all she felt was Ga Eul's arms around her and something that reassured her more than anything had in all those years.

"I understand."

Jan Di cried for real then, muffling her sobs against her friend's shoulder, letting out the dark feelings she had had all those years ago when, alone and scared, she'd entered a small clinic known for 'helping' young women such as herself.

"I couldn't do it. I know it would've been so much easier, Ga Eul. At some point I didn't think it would mean much of anything to just go ahead and do it, but I couldn't kill my baby...Ji Min was _my_ baby, even if his father wasn't there."

Holding her close and tightly, Ga Eul rubbed her back, assuring once and again that it was okay, that even if she had done it, no one had a right to blame her, that she was okay now, and of what an amazing child Ji Min seemed to be.

"I've only known him for a couple of hours, Jan Di, but I can tell he's great. And he wouldn't be so without an amazing mother such as yourself."

Jan Di eventually calmed down, and Ga Eul told her to take a shower and go to bed.

"Yi Jung told me all the guys will have a day with you this week, and tomorrow happens to be my day off. Can I come along?"

"Do you really have to ask?"

They hugged each other at the door when Ga Eul's taxi arrived and promised to meet the next day.

* * *

After a not-so-quick shower, Jan Di dried her hair and checked her cell phone for messages. Noticing she had four, Jan Di started to reply. First, to her mom...

 _ **-How's everything over there? How's Ji Min? You haven't called; I hope you had fun with your friends.**_

 _ **+Yes, Omma, we're okay. We had lots of fun and took some pictures. We'll call tomorrow. Send our love home.**_

Next, to Chul Moo…

 _ **-How are you? People asked about you today, but you're still on vacation so I just told them you were staying in the city for a little while longer. How's Ji Min?**_

 _ **+I'm okay, just tell them I'm staying with some friends from the city if they ask again. Ji Min is great; he had loads of fun today. I'll send you a pic in a bit.**_

Then to Yi Jung…

 _ **-Jan Di, we're meeting tomorrow after breakfast. Does 11 AM sound okay? Just let me know if you want to sleep more, and I'll come by later.**_

 _ **-PS: You're a beauty now (wink)**_

 _ **+Yes, I think 11 AM is okay, even 10:30, if you want.**_

 _ **+PS: I'll hurt you and won't even feel bad about it.**_

She thought it weird that Yi Jung was the one coming, but her questions were answered when she reviewed her last text of the night, from Ji Hoo.

 _ **-Did Yi Jung text you? I'm sorry, but some things came up, and I asked him to swap days with me. I'll move some meetings and see you the day after tomorrow...I hope your talk went okay. Drink lots of water if you've cried; don't dehydrate.**_

 _ **+He did, thank you. Don't feel pressured to change your normal day for us; we're happy to be here and to share time with you guys whenever you can. I will drink water. How did you know? Thank you.**_

Jan Di blocked her phone and set it on the nightstand. She pulled down the covers and cuddled next to her little man.

Tomorrow was going to be another good day.

oº°˚˚°ºoº°˚˚°ºoº°˚˚°ºoº°˚˚°ºoº°˚˚°ºoº°˚˚°ºoº°˚˚°ºoº°˚˚°ºoº°˚˚°ºo

The next day, Jan Di and Ji Min woke up and got ready for Yi Jung's visit. At 10:29 AM, there were a few knocks on their hotel bedroom door, and Ji Min sprinted to the door.

"Uncle Yi Jung!" he shouted before launching himself at him. Yi Jung, with catlike reflexes, anticipated and countered the kid's gesture with a bear hug of his own.

"I…c-cant...bre-athe!" Ji Min was saying in between laughter, even though he really was starting to get less oxygen to his lungs.

Jan Di walked up to Yi Jung, releasing a more than happy Ji Min. For a second, she thought about how a manly or fatherly figure had been so absent in her son's life. True, her dad had been present, but he wasn't the best of examples; didn't she know it! He had been very excited about the pregnancy, which truly surprised her, and when Ji Min was born, her father had celebrated the fact that his first grandchild was male.

Still, she could see how her little man looked up to F4, not only with the 'cool big brother' type admiration but with the glint of something else, and once more, she felt guilty for not being able to provide everything for him.

"Are you ready for today?"

"Yeah!" Ji Min said excitedly.

"Ga Eul Noona, Jae Kyung Noona and Sun Mi Noona are also coming today."

"What about Hyung-nim? And Uncle Woo Bin? And Uncle Jun Pyo?"

"They can't come today, champ; they're working." Ji Min immediately deflated. "Hey, but I'm here, as well as those pretty noonas, so aren't you happy?" Yi Jung had crouched to his level when he saw a pout appear.

Ji Min nodded that he was happy, and as soon as he saw Jae Kyung running towards him, all semblance of sadness was wiped from his face.

Inside the van, they all greeted each other. Sun Mi excused herself while she worked for a bit on her laptop, and Yi Jung went to Ji Min's side to play some PlayStation 4. Ji Min didn't understand at first, but after a couple of games, he quickly got the gist of it and gave Yi Jung a run for his money.

"So, Jan Di-ah, can you really stay only one week?" Jae Kyung asked her after giving her a soda.

"Yes, I'm afraid so. I still have work, and I can't be absent more than that."

Jae Kyung looked really sad about it, and Jan Di, again, found herself touched. This woman in front of her seemed like a strong, loving type of person. "Jun Pyo told me you don't have many friends?"

"Yeah. With how my parents did background checks on everyone who wasn't in our social circle, I couldn't very well keep too many. Although, I hate to admit, they were right one time."

"Really?"

"There was this really sweet girl at a cooking class, and I instantly liked her. I started hanging out with her and we exchanged numbers, texted almost every hour….I thought I had found my best friend ever. One day, I invited her to my house and left her in my room to go get some refreshments. I realized that I hadn't asked her what she wanted to drink, so I went back and when I opened the door, I found her rummaging through my jewelry box." Jan Di felt bad for her. "You can imagine, my parents didn't let me live it down for quite some time, telling me I should know how to pick my friends better, that I should go to the Cotillion parties and mingle with our own social class circle, but most of them are so...fake, childish, catty, and jealous that I'd rather not have friends."

"I understand what you mean. I went to Shinhwa for less than a year and had the worst possible time."

"Until Jun and the guys came along?"

Jan Di exchanged a knowing look with Ga Eul. She wasn't entirely sure if she should tell Jae Kyung that Jun Pyo had been the ringleader of the most extreme bullying experiences of her life. She could still remember people surrounding her, throwing water balloons, shooting a fire extinguisher, and setting her bike on fire. And she also remembered the guys who almost raped her, although Jun Pyo had explained he hadn't given that order.

"Well...I didn't get along with Jun Pyo at first, at all. But after some very grueling experiences, we became friends. From F4, the two people who almost immediately accepted me were Woo Bin and Yi Jung."

"Why didn't you and Jun get along?"

"We had different opinions on how to treat people," Jan Di said nonchalantly. She thought this was a good enough explanation, but Jae Kyung seemed to be studying her. "What?"

"You really don't plan on telling me?"

"Telling you what?"

"That Jun Pyo bullied you, that he was the worst bully in the world during his time at Shinhwa and that you were really badly hurt because of his antics. More ridiculous still, that he dared to woo you once he realized he liked you." Jan Di was flabbergasted; she really didn't know what to say. "He told me, everything. He's changed a lot since his high school days, thank God."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to lie or anything."

"On the contrary, I'm grateful to you. Jun Pyo speaks very highly of you, and so does his sister."

"You know Jun Hee Unnie! How is she?"

And off they went on a conversation about the Goo siblings. It seemed that Jun Hee was the happy mother of three kids and still living abroad, though she visited on holidays. Also, she still didn't heel to her mother's will.

"I haven't seen her in six years. I met her only briefly, but she was so cool in my eyes at that time. Always wearing pretty clothes but still very mature and kind…"

"She told me it was thanks to you that her little brother began to change." Jan Di felt really uncomfortable with that statement, but looking into Jae Kyung's eyes, she could see she wasn't trying to be mean or catty or gauge her reaction. She had a sincere smile on her face while talking about her current boyfriend liking Jan Di at one point.

"I don't think I brought about much of a change in him...we were simply friends."

"Still, he had told me about you before, but after your reappearance the other day, Jun Pyo told me a bit more. Really, Jan Di, I can see you love Jun Pyo, that you love the whole F4, though not romantically, and I would really like it if we could be friends." Jan Di was touched by this. Normally, a woman didn't care for her man's exes, even less the first woman he ever liked, but Jae Kyung was totally different. Jan Di was sure they had cast her and later broken the mold.

"I would like that very much," she replied sincerely.

"I'm so happy!" Jae Kyung hugged her, catching her a bit by surprise, but Jan Di smiled, nonetheless. Then Jae Kyung whispered in her ear. "Do you think Miss Ga Eul would also like to be my friend?"

"Welcome, Master So, Miss Ha, Miss Heo. It is a pleasure having you visit us today." A young woman bowed to the highest representatives of the group.

"Thank you. These are my friends, Miss Chu, Miss Geum, and her son, Geum Ji Min. We've come today because we'd like to show him around. It would also be a proof test to see how a kid gets fun inside."

"Of course, Master So. We will be very pleased to show you around. Please, Miss Chu, Miss Geum, young master Geum. Follow me." The young girl started to walk towards the huge building in front of them.

"Omma, she called me 'Young master.'" Ji Min was shocked.

"That she did, love. She doesn't know that you're not."

"I can tell her. I mean, I'm just...me."

The whole party smiled at the simplicity of the boy. The young girl turned around and saw no one was following her, so she tried to call their attention.

"Dear guests?"

"We'll be right there. Ladies…" Yi Jung offered his arms, and both Jae Kyung and Sun Mi accepted the gesture. Ji Min imitated his uncle and offered his arms to his mother and Ga Eul, who gladly accepted.

As soon as they crossed the doors, the lady who had greeted them bowed again. "Welcome, dear guests, to the Gwacheon National Science Museum."

Jan Di was amazed at the huge space in front of her. One would normally think museums were reserved for those boring school excursions that forced you to write an even more boring report. But this here was something else.

She wasn't the only one dazed, though; her little prince seemed to be barely containing his excitement at what they had before them. The huge place had several exhibitions, and she could see kids of all ages and several families coming and going from different rooms and presentations.

"Jan Di-ah? Geum Jan Di?" She suddenly saw a hand before her eyes moving up and down. "So, I take it you like it?"

"This is outstanding, Yi Jung...Thank you!" The smile the man gave her easily melted the small group of females that had formed in the minute or so since they'd been there. Jan Di scoffed, remembering how this small bit hadn't changed. "You still attract attention wherever you go, don't you?"

"What can I say? It comes with the territory."

"Uncle Yi Jung! I want to go there, look!" Ji Min was pointing to a huge fossil exhibit.

"And you will. Actually, I want you to choose what you want to do today. There are two courses, you see. Course A and Course B. And you get to choose one for today. Next time we come here, we can cover what today won't and more."

"Sweet!" Ji Min reviewed both courses next to his mother with a bit of help from Sun Mi, who had clearly been here before.

"My family owns several museums, although not as many as the Yoon Empire, but we had been working closely for a while," Sun Mi explained.

"That is great. Ji Hoo loves everything that involves art and music, and if you two are together on a project like this museum, I have high hopes for my boy's future education. I may not always be able to bring him to a place like this, but I'll do my damn best."

Sun Mi smiled at her praise, although also infinitesimally cringed at her use of a curse word.

"Noona, what do you think of this? I really, really want to see the skeletons!" The course Ji Min was referring to was Course A, which included the Children's Exploration Hall, the basic Science Museum, the Natural Story Hall, and the Ecological Park. Within the Natural Story Hall was the Paleozoic era in the Korean peninsula exhibit.

"I think this would be the best option for you, then. I'll tell our guide we've chosen our destination." She smiled at the boy and walked over to the person in charge.

"Times have changed. I can't remember any of our school excursions being taken at a place as amazing as this one." Ga Eul went to Jan Di and Ji Min.

"I know what you mean," she answered.

"When I was in school, we went to Tour Eiffel," Jae Kyung offered without any mean intention.

"Well, I can imagine. When I was in Shinhwa, I remember seeing the first excursion to Hawaii. I mean, I couldn't believe that. The most we ever did was stay within the country for the graduation trip, right?" Jan Di asked Ga Eul.

"Wow, inside of the country. That must be tough. We went to Germany."

"Yeah, and we to Africa," Yi Jung provided.

"You rich kids and your rich lives…" Jan Di half-smirked.

"Oh, come on, Jan Di. You know you love us." Yi Jung went to put his arm around her shoulders, and she could hear the grunts of disgust from the small fan club.

"Yeah, yeah...whatever." She smiled. Behind her were the times when she flushed and tried to avoid being next to an F4 because of how the rest of the school would treat her. The guys had always assured her that they spent time with her because they liked to do so.

"Well, all ready." Sun Mi was back. "Shall we go?"

"To see the fossils?" Ji Min had stars in his eyes.

"Not yet, but I promise it is included in this course. Worry not, Ji Min-ah, you'll see amazing fossils."

"Okay!"

Their first destination was to stand next to a big yellow bus that looked pretty fun.

"Dear guests." A petite female approached the party and bowed. "I'm very honored to be your guide for today. My name is Park In Sook. Whatever questions you may have, please direct them to me, so I can do my best to help you."

Everyone greeted back, and then, she did something Jan Di hadn't expected‒she went and crouched next to Ji Min.

"Ji Min, annyeong!" Her voice was now very sweet and bubbly. Her son immediately liked her and returned her greeting. "Hey, have you ever wondered how our bodies look from inside?"

"From inside? Like the organs and stuff?"

"Yes, have you?"

"Yeah, sometimes."

"How would you feel if I took you on a trip inside a human body?" Ji Min's eyes opened wide at the question, and he dumbly nodded. "Because you see, I have a very special bus, and when we go inside, we'll be tiny, tiny, tiny, and be able to navigate inside a body. Wanna see?"

"Yeah!"

In Sook offered her hand to him. Ji Min was about to take it when he suddenly pulled it back.

"Omma, can I take her hand?"

Yi Jung was impressed, same as the rest of the party, at the little boy's criteria on this matter. It wasn't as if Jan Di wasn't right next to him.

"Yes, love, you can. Let's all go in, hmm?"

"How did you manage that? Most kids will simply go with a stranger if he offers fun or candies." Jae Kyung asked while they settled inside the bus seats.

"A kid was lost in our villa," Jan Di said sadly upon remembering the event. "Ji Min was there when it happened; he was four then. We were at a park and several kids were playing; one of the boys simply disappeared. No one saw anything; _I_ didn't see anything. My eyes had been on Ji Min the whole time."

"Oh, God. Did they find him?" Ga Eul asked after listening to the story.

"Yes, two days later. But the boy was...different." Jan Di could still hear the cries, both from his mother and the boy. He looked roughed up, with some bruises on his face and body, and no one dared to ask what exactly had happened, but Jan Di and her mom made sure to warn Ji Min about never, ever going with a stranger. Short of a threat, they'd painted an awful image of what would happen if he ever did. It seemed the scare sank in because Ji Min never followed a stranger.

 _Although…_

"But didn't he appear with Ji Hoo when he was lost?" Jae Kyung asked.

"Yeah, I never actually asked Ji Min about it." Jan Di was confused. Her son had been lost, yes, but he knew to look for the policeman or a store employee in cases like that, not that he had been lost before.

"Dear guests, please put on your glasses." In Sook's voice pulled the adults out of their conversation.

The experience was one that Jan Di couldn't believe. Through the glasses, she was able to see the red cells, the lungs, a piece of food processed in the stomach, how a spermatozoid met an egg and a baby was formed. She was simply amazed at how far technology could take someone on a trip without even moving from a seat.

Ji Min was ecstatic, asking away about things like how a wound closed and what happened to the bones when he grew.

In Sook was more than kind to answer each and every one of his inquiries. To her left, she could see Ga Eul was as amazed as her, and she whispered her plans of trying to bring her kids to the museum.

"This is just great, Jan Di-ah."

"I know, right?"

After what felt like too little time inside the bus, they were off to the next exhibit. The Sensing Playground was next, and here, they all got to experience different things with all of their senses. Ji Min liked the tape with the waves sound, saying it reminded him of home.

"Where exactly do you live, Jan Di-ssi?" Sun Mi asked her while touching some surfaces with different textures.

"It's a very, very small island that I'm sure doesn't even come up on the map. But we're near the ocean because it is a fishing villa. Ji Min loves the water, just like me."

"Did you live by the ocean as a kid?"

"No, I swam. I was a swimmer in school and was planning on going professional, but... life happened."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you remember something painful."

"Not at all. I still swim, not in competitions, but in the ocean." And her smile made Sun Mi smile, too.

"Isn't that a bit dangerous, though?" she asked, genuinely concerned.

"It can be if you don't respect the sea. But if you do and know when and where to swim, it's great training."

"Well, you…" Sun Mi bit her tongue before she slipped. She had been about to say something rude.

"You can go ahead and say what you're thinking." Jan Di knew Sun Mi was one of those proper ladies her mother used to watch in historical dramas. She felt as if she was in the company of royalty whenever she spoke to Sun Mi.

"No, I'm sorry...I just wanted to say you have a great figure."

"For being a mom, right?" Sun Mi was surprised Jan Di could tell what she was thinking.

"...For anyone."

"Don't worry, it's not like I'm a mind reader," Jan Di provided after seeing she was confused, "you're just very similar to Ji Hoo, so I can more or less figure out what you're thinking."

"You think we're similar?"

"Like...you're both on the same wavelength? That's what I've felt watching you two," she provided with a smile.

Sun Mi felt like an idiot. Just a minute ago she _had_ been thinking of what a nice figure Jan Di had for being a mom, but she was reminded of this only because of the teasing between her boyfriend and her the previous day. She really needed to let go of such petty jealousy. It was clear they were friends.

"Well, I mean what I said. One would never know you've had a child; you look fantastic."

"Why, thank you! After the guys joked around yesterday about my body changes, that makes me feel much better. Do you work out, Sun Mi-ssi?"

And on they were to exercises routines, diets and such. Ga Eul and Jae Kyung quickly joined them, exchanging secrets and recipes.

"Little word of advice, Ji Min-ah," Yi Jung told the boy while watching the women cackling about things only females could.

"Yes, Uncle Yi Jung?"

"Never, and I mean never in your whole life, talk to a woman about her weight."

"Why?"

"Trust me, just don't."

* * *

After the sensory experience, In Sook told them they could try the suspended tunnel of nets. Jan Di was a bit nervous about it, but the guide reassured her that the security measures were simply the best. Ji Min, of course, had a great time because the adults couldn't fit and he got to pass through all on his own.

Finally, they all went into the maze and found the exit after about 10 minutes. It would've been like 2 or 3 minutes if the adults had done it, but they all wanted the young one to find the answer.

They had finished the sensory part of the tour, and now, they were going to the ABO blood research section of the Basic Science Museum. One could learn about the different blood types, the compatibility chart, and in a small section, one could see the supposed personality traits of each blood type. Of course, this was a bit of a superstition, but still, it didn't hurt.

"Omma, what blood type do I have?"

"You're A, baby."

"Really?" asked Yi Jung. "I would think he was AB."

"No, he's A. Let me guess, Yi Jung. Are you type O?"

Yi Jung laughed out loud. "You know me so well, Jan Di-ah." He winked at her and put an arm over her shoulders.

"I actually can't remember what my blood type is, if A or AB. I should call my mom," Jae Kyung said while taking out her phone.

"Omma, I want to go over there." Ji Min had seen a small table where you could create some blood cells with molding clay. Jan Di was about to take his hand to accompany him when Yi Jung stopped her.

"Sun Mi-ah, could you take Ji Min over there? I was about to talk with Jan Di."

"Oh, sure, no problem. Let's go, Ji Min?" Sun Mi extended her hand, and the little boy took it with ease.

"Talk? I can't imagine what about." But she knew this was coming. Each F4 would definitely have a small talk with her about her disappearance, but still, it made her feel guilty and uncomfortable.

"I think you can." She nodded. "Geum Jan Di, I don't deny your family was in a very tricky situation. We figured it out a few days later, thanks to Woo Bin's men, but still, you said nothing. Even when you came here, we didn't want you to know we already knew about it, but still, we're F4."

"Yeah, you're bound to know everything."

"Well," Yi Jung looked at Ji Min, who was making little red balls with his hands, "not everything."

After a bit of silence, Jan Di spoke. "I really am sorry for not letting you guys know, but it wasn't your responsibility; _I_ wasn't your responsibility."

"Yes, we know, but we were friends, and we would've done something for you. The reason Jun Pyo asked you why you had left was because we were sure there had to be some other reason than your financial situation. I mean, Jan Di, even while standing here doing nothing, I'm making money. You think that would've been an issue for us? You didn't even leave a note!"

She had been about to retort until he made that last comment. What did he mean no note? Jan Di had written a quick message and left it on Ji Hoo's bedside table. Hadn't he told them about it?

"How did you find out I was gone?"

"Ji Hoo came back from Paris earlier than planned. Imagine our surprise to receive a text from him, just as we were getting ready to go to the airport, saying 'Jan Di is gone.' We were confused about it because we had seen you just a few days before; what did he mean by 'gone?' But then he went to your house, and we went to the porridge shop; Woo Bin went to the newspaper stand you worked at and I to Ga Eul's house. You simply vanished." She had the sense to look sad at knowing how much they worried. "Jan Di-ah, you left our leader and our second-in-command in a damn well mess."

"What? What do you mean?"

He sighed. "They probably won't tell you. We were all worried; we were all sad, but Jun Pyo and Ji Hoo took it the worst. Jun Pyo started drinking almost everyday; his mother threatened him with a psych ward or a rehab institution. He wasn't an alcoholic; he isn't one, but he went down a destructive path very quickly. Each day he'd drink and fight and then pass out until the next night." Jan Di's breath quickened as her heart pounded a painful beat against her chest. "And Ji Hoo...he worried us even more. He threw himself into music and his studies, but he wasn't sleeping or eating. We realized this one day when we met and he looked like a ghost. He lost nearly fifteen pounds, that's what the doctor said. We had to force him to sleep, _him_ , the cat boy." Tears were freely flowing down Jan Di's face now. "Please, all I ask is for you not to do this again. You wormed your way into our hearts, don't know very well how yet, but you did, and we really love you, Geum Jan Di. Trust us a little bit more, arasso?"

Jan Di let herself be engulfed in Yi Jung's arms, while she cried for the pain she had caused them. He was right; neither Jun Pyo nor Ji Hoo would tell her how badly they took her leaving. She never thought it would be that bad. Drinking? Not eating? Fighting?

"Omma, Omma!? What's wrong?" Ji Min had quickly gone to his mom as soon as he felt something wasn't right. One moment his mom was talking with Uncle Yi Jung and the next she was crying!

"I'm...fine, baby. I'm sorry." She gently pulled away from Yi Jung to answer her son.

"You're not fine! You're crying! You were crying with Hyung-nim, too! Are you sick? Does something hurt?"

Jan Di chuckled at her little one's questions. They were the same she would ask if she saw him in distress.

"I promise you, I'm fine. I'm just remembering some things and they made me a bit sad, but it's all okay, sweetie. Really."

Ji Min looked at her with scepticism; right now he didn't believe her.

"Omma...she used to live here, you know? But then one day she needed to leave with Haraboji, Halmoni and Oesamchon. And Omma, she didn't let her friends know, so they were very sad. She's listening to what happened when she was gone, and it was a bit sad, so that's why I'm crying, but I'm okay now, love." She opened her arms to show him she was okay. Ji Min immediately encircled her neck tightly and closed his eyes.

"I don't like it when you cry, Omma."

"Oh, I know, my prince. But I promise Omma is done crying. See?" She cleaned her face and smiled. "I'm really okay now. So, let's go, show me what you were molding a while ago."

"Ok." Ji Min was a bit subdued but still pulled his mom over to the table he had been working at.

"Is everything ok?" Sun Mi had seen Yi Jung hug women in the past. He always had this hint of mischief in his eyes and a smile that made most swoon. Whenever he hugged them, he had this signature smirk, which let everyone know he was having fun. But only moments before was the first time she could say she had seen the _Casanova_ comfort someone. His features carried pain and sadness, but also relief.

"Yeah, she just needed to hear some things from the past, and they weren't pretty." He sighed.

Sun Mi looked at him, then took a look at where Jan Di was now smiling while playing with Ji Min. In her mind, she ran through the F4 reactions and behavior since Jan Di appeared, and finally, the question that had been at the back of her mind since nearly day one came out. "What exactly happened when she left?"

Yi Jung sighed and looked her in the eye. "Mayhem," he said with a sad smile on, but he quickly released some air, and his signature smirk was back once more. "But now she's back, so we can have fun again."

"Jun told me you guys are planning on bringing her back to the city?" Jae Kyung jumped into the conversation. Sun Mi was surprised by this piece of news.

"We are, or at least, we want to try. Jan Di isn't a common girl. If we offered to pay all of her family's debts plus her own and bring her here to a more laid-back lifestyle where she'd never have to worry about money again, she'd flat out say 'No'. She has a lot of pride and dignity, and that makes it hard sometimes to help her. It's her worst flaw, I'd say."

He went to join Jan Di and Ji Min at the molding station. Jae Kyung looked at Ji Min.

"I don't know everything that happened when she left, but I know Jun suffered a lot. He was...very destructive, with himself and with others. It took him a lot of time to get out of that state."

"I just know of her from what you've told me before, that Jun Pyo...liked her?"

"Yeah, he told me she was the first girl he ever loved."

They began to walk when Yi Jung called to them; it was time for the next exhibition.

"Is that, I mean, are you okay with that? You're a great person, Unnie, and I just don't want you to get hurt." Sun Mi couldn't put herself in her shoes. If she ever met Min Seo Hyun, she'd be polite and educated, but she wouldn't let her be alone with Ji Hoo at all.

"I am. Jun loves me now, and he was very honest about the whole ordeal with her. We all have a past, Sun Mi-ah. Jan Di is his past; I'm his present. And, if everything goes well, also his future," Jae Kyung said with a bright smile. "Jan Di is very nice; I like her. She's happy, funny, knows how to put F4 in their place..." She remembered how Jan Di hadn't wanted to tell her about the bullying she suffered at Jun Pyo's hand. That, in and of itself, confirmed Jan Di's character. "I want to be her friend."

Sun Mi really admired Jae Kyung. Where she was more cautious, Jae Kyung was spontaneous; where she would rather stay quiet, Jae Kyung would be loud and outspoken. Sun Mi really wanted to be at least a bit more like her; she was sure she had never met someone such as Ha Jae Kyung. Except, perhaps, Geum Jan Di, who seemed to have a particular personality, too.

"I want to be her friend too, Unnie."

"Oh, if we count Ga Eul, the four of us can go on shopping sprees! It would be like Sex and the City, Korean Edition." At this, Sun Mi openly laughed, and Jae Kyung felt her work was done.

* * *

After the ABO research part, they had gone to the Reproduction and occurrence part, which led to interesting questions from Ji Min. Jan Di tried her best to answer without the F4 Casanova's input. _This is something you want to avoid until you're at least thirty, though the practice part is important._ Thank God Jae Kyung had intervened and smacked Yi Jung in the head. Still, Ji Min was really surprised to know he had been, at one time, inside his omma's belly. Jan Di promised to show him some pictures when they got back home.

While Ji Min was distracted by the next part of the tour, the electric Tesla display, Jan Di pulled Ga Eul aside.

"Ga Eul, there's something I wanted to ask you yesterday, but between your appearance and our conversation, I forgot."

"What is it?"

"Remember that thing I asked you to save for Ji Hoo many years ago?"

"Oh, that keychain. Yeah, I gave it to him."

"Why?"

"Because I didn't know if you were coming back, and I know you saved up to buy that for him. I know he really helped you with the trials Goo Jun Pyo set for you, so I found it silly to just leave it there inside its box."

"When did you give it to him?"

"Mmmm…" Ga Eul's eyes darted around as she searched for the date in her head. "I think it was like a few months after you left. To be frank, I had forgotten about it until I did that spring cleaning my mom loves to do. Then I found it. I didn't actually know what it was, so I opened it, sorry about that." Jan Di waved her hand, indicating that it didn't matter. "As I said, I knew you bought it for him, so I called Ji Hoo, told him what you had been planning on doing and gave it to him." Then she got a strange look on her face. "Why do you ask?"

Now Jan Di didn't know exactly what to say.

"I saw it on his keychain the day before yesterday."

"He still has it?" She was a bit surprised. "I mean, it wasn't cheap but not that expensive, either. I'd have thought it would have broken by now or something."

"No, he still has it."

"Well, that's nice of him, then. Don't you think?"

"Yeah." Jan Di thought about the extra hours she'd worked to save a bit after the trials until she was finally able to buy that for him. Ga Eul was right; it was nice of Ji Hoo to still have it. "Very 'Ji Hoo' of him, huh?"

"Yeah, very." Ga Eul laughed.

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On the drive back, to his surprise, Ji Min fell asleep. After the Tesla display they had gone to the dinosaurs section, where Ji Min had been thrilled to see the real size replicas. At the fossil exhibit, Yi Jung had bought him an archaeologist set for kids to 'discover' fossils in a big tray. One use only, so of course, he bought the five models available.

After that they went to eat a bit of food, which inside the Museum was costly, but of course, Yi Jung paid for the ladies and the little man. Tanks filled up, they went to the final exhibit of the day, which was the Korea Science and Engineering Museum. Not only did they see the constellations in a big planetarium, but they also learned about the Korean nobility's life and different instruments that were used in the past.

So, of course, Jan Di wasn't as surprised at her son when she had to wake him up on arrival at Yi Jung's house. They had been, after all, inside the museum for four hours. Jae Kyung and Sun Mi had both gone first due to work-related things but promised Jan Di they'd see her soon.

"Wow, what's all this?" Ji Min was in Yi Jung's studio. Jan Di had been there only once. It all looked the same, though, and she knew her friend was very proud of his personal studio. She thought he looked the most honest whenever he was working on a new piece.

Not as big as she had expected the first time, Yi Jung's studio had shelves in every wall. Two of them had different pieces, already finished or in process. The other two had the implements with which he needed to work: Clays, throwing bats, buckets, sponges, ware boards, chucks, three wheels and two kilns. One inside and one outside. It was a potter's paradise. He even mixed his own glazes.

"This is my space," Yi Jung said with a clear proud tint to his voice. "This is where I make these." He showed Ji Min the pieces that were finished, and the little boy's eyes widened.

"You made those cups and that dragon vase, right?"

"I did." He smiled.

"How? How do you make them? Can you show me?"

"How do you ask for things?" Jan Di scolded lightly.

"Sorry, Omma. Can you show me, _please_?"

"I sure can," Yi Jung said, taking off his jacket and rolling up his sleeves, "but today you'll be working with me. I'll teach you to make something simple to take back home."

"Really!?"

Yi Jung had specially ordered a kid's apron and a smaller wheel for Ji Min to work on. He could see the boy was terribly excited, so this made him happy. Jan Di sat next to them but didn't participate; she wasn't that good at making stuff.

Yi Jung brought clay and explained to Ji Min how it was very important that no air bubbles were inside because this could crack during firing, which meant to bake the clay in the kiln.

"You're gonna love this. We're going to wedge the clay." Ji Min looked so confused by the terminology but quickly forgot about it when he saw Yi Jung taking a piece of clay and smashing it against the table.

"Whaaaaaaat? Can I really do that?"

"Of course. This is the wedging technique; it's necessary. Wanna try?"

Not needing to be asked twice, Ji Min started to giggle as he smashed the clay once and again. He moved his hands, gently pushing back and forth, then more smashing. They were definitely having fun.

Jan Di took out her cell phone and recorded them as they beat the clay into submission. After they did this, Yi Jung took two bats to attach to the wheel. After he set the clays on the very center of the metal plates, the spinning began.

They started to apply water to the clay, pushing it down and pulling it up.

"We need to be very careful on this part; it's the most important one. If the clay isn't centered, we can lose control of the piece." And as soon as he said this, Ji Min's piece of clay flew to one side of the room, leaving his pottery wheel empty. He looked ready to cry when Yi Jung simply shared some of his with Ji Min. He had already predicted this would happen. He had made that mistake, too, as a beginner.

He helped him again, and this time, the clay stayed in place. Now it was time to open the clay. Ji Min's hands were small and inexperienced, but he did his best. Unfortunately, his intended cup was turning out as a bowl.

"Uncle Yi Jung, help me."

Smiling at the fact that he thought there were still years before he'd be called Uncle, if ever at all, he sat behind Ji Min and directed his hands with his own. In a few minutes, a cup shape was formed. "You're so amazing, Uncle Yi Jung! You're like a magician!"

Jan Di smiled fondly at the scene and thought this would surely repeat once Yi Jung had kids of his own.

"So, you were here?" Both Jan Di and Yi Jung turned to face his father, who was clearly drunk. "And who is this? You messing with women who have brats now?"

"Jan Di-ah, take Ji Min outside. I'll be with you shortly." Jan Di was already picking up her son, who looked confused and didn't want to leave the wheel.

"But, Omma-"

"Shh, Uncle Yi Jung needs to talk with his daddy, ok? We'll wait for him," she quickly whispered in his ear as she tried to get past the man, who, upon seeing she was trying to leave, put a hand across the exit.

"You don't look too bad, girl."

"Let. her. pass., Father." Yi Jung all but growled.

The man chuckled and removed his arm.

"Omma, what's wrong?" Ji Min asked his mother when they were in the front yard and she was removing his apron.

"Nothing, baby. It's just that...Uncle Yi Jung's appa has been looking for him for a while, you see? So he was a tad mad."

"But he called me a brat."

Sometimes Jan Di regretted her son's quick wit. He heard and saw everything, so to keep him in the dark about 'adult stuff' was difficult sometimes.

"Well, that was somewhat rude. I'm sure Yi Jung will tell him to apologize next time. We should always apologize when we're wrong, right?"

"Yes!"

"Jan Di-ah," Yi Jung was running to where they were. "I'm so sorry about that. He wasn't supposed to be here."

"That's okay, Yi Jung. Um…" She wanted to ask but thought better of it; however, Yi Jung knew her.

"Let's go back to the study so we can put our works in the kiln, and I'll tell you about it."

Ji Min walked back with his left hand in his mom's hand and the right one in Yi Jung's. In the study, Ji Min watched his cup carefully, finding it a bit simple next to all the art surrounding him.

"Uncle Yi Jung, can you make it look cooler?"

And with a knowing grin, he did. Yi Jung, in swift and precise movements, created a handle for his cup. Ji Min was absorbed while watching him work and knew that if his mom had a bit more money, he would ask to take pottery classes. Having lived his whole life on a fishing island, where from time to time, he knew, his mother hadn't eaten in order to give him some food, he never dared to ask for many things. It had been a couple of years since that happened, but he still remembered, and he still knew that money was something very precious at home.

"There you go. How's this?" Yi Jung held up a cup with a small fiery-looking dragon as a handle.

"That's amazing, Yi Jung." Jan Di had to say for her speechless son.

"Nah, it's okay." He was used to receiving grand praise from art critics and from his F4 brothers, from time to time, but having a girl like Jan Di praise his work made him feel really good about what he did. He felt the same when Jae Kyung or Sun Mi praised him. They were both a couple of rich but down-to-earth women. "Let's put them out to dry. It'll take about a week or two to dry."

At this information, Ji Min visibly deflated. He wanted his cup right now! "It's okay, Ji Min-ah. I'll be sure to send this to you if you leave before it's done. Another time when you stay longer in the city, we can do the whole process." Ji Min still looked sad. "I have some pieces that have bone dried already, want to help me put them in the kiln?"

They put the 7 pieces inside, and while Ji Min was distracted with a video on Jan Di's cell phone, Yi Jung told her what was happening.

"My dad hit rock bottom some years ago. He was found in an alley behind a low-rate pub. He was drunk off his ass. Sorry." Jan Di shook her head; she understood why he was so angry. "So, I had to go pick him up, had to deal with his throwing up and fainting. I put him in a rehab facility that same night, but...Mother found out. She was hysterical, crying her eyes out, begging me to bring him back home, saying that she was going to take care of him. I didn't listen. I even moved out to Woo Bin's for a period of time because I couldn't stand her." He took a minute to look at the pieces in the fire, and Jan Di didn't push him. She had met his father a long time ago, while he was drunk, and that was the first time she saw Yi Jung embarrassed.

"So, I wasn't going to let him out, but turns out my mother consulted with her lawyer, and she's his wife, so she has more rights to him in a distress situation. Like, the person who gets to make life or death decisions. So, she did, she got him out, hired nurses to keep him clean. Of course, she should've hired 70-year-old ladies instead of 20-something-year-old girls, who would end up in her husband's bed." Yi Jung sighed. "I don't understand it. I don't get why she does this. Every time I asked, back when I cared about it, she would tell me she still loved him...that deep down, she knew the man she had fallen in love with was still there. And now he's clean, but he's still a fucking prick."

Silence fell over them for several minutes, the crackling fire and a cartoon the only sounds around them.

"I can't say I would do the same," Jan Di started. "I mean, taking care of my drunk, cheating husband just because at some point I loved him. But I can tell you this..." She stood in front of him and forced him to look at her. "Yi Jung, sometimes, for love, you do the stupidest, most ridiculous, unbelievable things. Things you'd say, 'Oh no, I would never, ever, do that,' you do. Don't get me wrong, I think your mom needs some help, someone to talk to about her unhealthy relationship with your dad, but still, I think I mean to say that...I understand how it is when love pushes you to do what you thought impossible before." Jan Di smiled at him and went to accompany Ji Min.

Yi Jung's eyes followed her and then set on Ji Min, who was excitedly explaining to his mom what the cartoon was about.

Perhaps Jan Di was speaking from experience, after all.

* * *

Yi Jung got them to their hotel, promising that the night was just starting and to expect a visit later. Jan Di rolled her eyes and closed the door, as if she could say no.

" _Hello?"_

"Hi, Mom."

" _Oh, oh, Jan Di-ah! How are you? I didn't see the ID cause I was cleaning up. How's everything going? Where's Ji Min?"_

"He's here, just watching some TV. I thought to call to tell you we're doing fine. We went to a museum today."

" _Oh, I bet it was one of those new, modern ones. Did he like it?"_

And on they went, talking about her two days there.

"And so, I still don't know what we'll be doing tonight or during these upcoming days."

" _But it's F4 we're talking about; I bet you're going to be treated like royalty."_

"Yes, Mom…" Jan Di knew her mother regretted that she didn't finish school at Shinwha and snatch a rich husband to live off of.

" _And...while you're there...have you thought about finding Ji Min's father?"_

"What? No, Mom! It's been almost seven years; why would I do that? I didn't tell him then, and I wouldn't tell him now."

" _Ok, ok, I'm sorry. I just thought that being in the city would perhaps make you want to make things right and ask for child support."_

And this time, she got angry. "We've been doing fine with my salary, have we not? And if you think feeding us is burdening you-"

" _Geum Jan Di, don't talk to your mother like that! I...I only thought that you may want a bit more money to give Ji Min more DVDs and clothes for this summer."_

She put the phone away and groaned. She knew her mother meant well in her weird way, but to have her ask about Ji Min's father after so many years just irked her.

"You'll be glad to know my friends gifted Ji Min and me with a whole new wardrobe, so we're all set for summer."

" _Oh, you see? That's what I was talking about. Royalty."_

She pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed. "I'll call Ji Min so you can say hello."

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At 8, Jan Di was getting Ji Min ready for bed when she heard the doorbell. Of course, her son ran to the door and yelled loudly, letting her know that F4 had arrived.

"Ji Min needs to sleep, guys," she said lowly, so her son wouldn't hear.

"Oh, come on, Jan Di. It's just one night; it won't hurt, right?" Woo Bin put his arm around her.

"Yes, Jan Di, come on. Just tonight." She was surprised that even Ga Eul was asking her that.

Well, she supposed it couldn't hurt, and they were all here, even though they probably had work to do that night and early the next day.

"All right, then. What are we going to watch?"

Before long, the guys had moved the center table to have more space and requested popcorn, sodas, and different kinds of candy to have on hand while they watched the movies.

"So, I think we'll have time for 3 or 4 movies, tops. And the first one should be one Ji Min would enjoy, do you agree?" Everyone present nodded. "So, Ga Eul suggested _The Iron Giant_." Woo Bin raised his hand with the Blue-ray disc. "And for after Ji Min goes to sleep, we have another 3 selections."

"I want to watch those, too!" Ji Min exclaimed.

"Your mom is letting you stay up past your bedtime, buddy; we shouldn't push it. We can try for more movies another day?"

"Can we go to a movie theatre next time? I've never been."

A general low gasp was heard, and of course, everyone, including Jae Kyung and Sun Mi told Ji Min they would definitely, definitely take him to the movies as many times as he wanted. Jun Pyo offered his private theatre, too, but Ji Min wanted to experience what he'd seen in movies on the TV.

"Ok, then, as soon as the refreshments are here," the doorbell was heard, "we can start!"

After arranging everything as they wanted, Ji Min wanted to sit on the floor, and Woo Bin and Yi Jung did the same, leaving the guys with girlfriends the couches. Jan Di sat on the opposite side of one of the couples, and the movie began.

It was so sad.

Was this really a kid movie? Although, Jan Di did see her son getting excited about the Iron Giant and his friendship with the little kid. But still, the way that government guy almost cost everyone their lives...and then the Superman line. She couldn't help but shed a tear.

She wasn't alone, though.

Jae Kyung was crying; Sun Mi looked sad, and even Jun Pyo's eyes were glassy.

However, the end offered hope, a future reunion, and a new couple together. It had it all.

"That was so cool! Did you see, Mom, how he was friends with that cool, huge robot? And then how cool was it that the guy hid him in his cool workshop?"

"Yes baby, it was very...cool." She smiled. Ji Min was so excited he seemed unable to think of another adjective besides 'cool'. "And it's time for bed now."

"Omma…," he whined.

"Jan Di-ah, we have a few selections here. Depending on what will come next, maybe you can decide then?" Yi Jung recommended.

"You all brought a movie?"

"Yeah, though we know not all of us will get to play it, but it was fun this way."

"Of course it was." She sighed and looked at Ji Min's pouting face and at Woo Bin imitating the expression. That almost made her laugh. "Ok, let's see what'll come up next. But, if I think it's not for you, Ji Min, you are going straight to bed. Understood?"

The little boy nodded and hoped with all his might that it was a movie he could stay up to see.

Jun Pyo brought out a black box and started shaking it. Finally, he offered it to Sun Mi, and she put her hand in, only to bring out a small piece of paper.

"It's Jae Kyung's choice," she said, and the guys kinda grumbled because they knew the girls had chosen, most likely, chick-flicks.

"You're going to just love this movie, Jan Di. We should probably get some tissue boxes, though." Jun Pyo quickly provided two, knowing how sentimental his girlfriend was.

The movie started, and it was a period one. Jan Di sighed as soon as she realized. She had always liked these kinds of stories, and the idea of wearing a modern hanbok for her wedding had been her secret dream when she was a little girl.

Having a very interesting story, soon everyone was paying close attention to the movie, but a slow movement made Jun Pyo remove his arm from around his girlfriend's shoulders. He carefully stood up and went to Ji Min. Jae Kyung quicky selected Pause. Everyone turned their heads to ask what had happened, but they suddenly realized Ji Min had lost the battle against the Sandman and had fallen asleep. Jan Di watched Jun Pyo pick up her son.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Jun Pyo. I can take him," she said while standing up.

"That's okay, I just need you to pull the covers so I can lay him down." Jan Di nodded and followed him inside while the rest of the gang seized the opportunity to stretch and refill the refreshments.

Jan Di smiled and shook her head a bit. Who would say that after a few years Jun Pyo would turn out to be so mature? She knew he had it in him way back in school; he just needed the right push...and to get away from his mother's claws.

She wondered about that. They still hadn't gotten a chance to talk, so she didn't really know what had happened to the Old Witch, as Jun Pyo used to call his mother.

Carefully putting Ji Min to bed, Jun Pyo gave Jan Di some space to tuck him in. He saw how she quickly put an old-looking plush toy next to her son under the covers.

"Isn't that a bit old?" Jun Pyo asked Jan Di in a whisper.

"It is," she whispered back, hoping he hadn't seen it, "but Ji Min has slept with this practically since birth. It's like his safety toy. He didn't want to travel without it. He even used to take it to the park and suffered a lot when I told him he couldn't bring it to the daycare."

Somehow, Jun Pyo understood. He had so much money that he could probably live 3 lives only burning it down, but the emotional value of a thing like a toy or a book from your childhood years...well, no money could buy that. His mind flitted to that old wooden robot he broke and the sadness he caused by it…

"I understand," was his only answer, and by Jan Di's look he knew she really got what he meant. She had that strange quality of looking past his pompous exterior and reaching his soul directly. That much hadn't changed. "Let's go back to the movie." She nodded, and out they went to finish.

* * *

Of course, the tissues were completely necessary when no woman in the room was able to hold her tears. It wasn't that the guys didn't get why they were sad, it's just that they weren't the kind to cry over a movie.

"Don't judge me. I'm a woman; I have ovaries; I'm entitled to cry while watching a movie." Jan Di sniffed when her gaze found the curious one of Woo Bin.

"I didn't say a thing." He defended himself while giving her another couple of tissues.

Jae Kyung was the one crying the hardest, even though she had seen the movie 'a thousand times,' according to Jun Pyo. "I can't help it! It's just so sad. He really liked the queen, but he said nothing about it! And the king was a stupid, rich brat with confidence issues!"

They had watched 'The Royal Tailor,' and it had made the emotions run a bit high. Even the guys felt the injustice of the end a bit too much. Jan Di, Jae Kyung and Sun Mi started to discuss what would have happened if something had been different, if the queen did this or if the tailor did that. They were in their own world and F4 let them be, first, because that's how women worked, and second, because their main objective had been to make Jan Di have fun, and she definitely was having it.

"Well, now what? I think we have time for one more. We should all rest at least a bit for tomorrow," Yi Jung suggested, and they all agreed. Jun Pyo once again brought forward the black box, and now it was Woo Bin's turn to pick. He came up with Ji Hoo's name.

"Oh, please tell me we're not watching 'A Space Odyssey' again!" Jun Pyo complained, but he wasn't the only one. Woo Bin and Yi Jung also knew of their friend's particular taste in movies...well, in life in general.

"That's not it. I think this is a movie that you'll all appreciate," he rebutted while going to Sun Mi's purse to take out the disc.

"That's what you said about that blacksmith movie, and it was weird as hell."

"Yeah, you are the only one of us that really likes foreign movies."

Ji Hoo simply sighed and went on to put in the disc. He cast a glance at Jan Di and, gladly, she seemed excited. She never complained about his 'weird tastes,' and on some occasions, found that she liked some of the same.

The movie soon began. It was definitely weird. Almost no dialogue, no conversation...and a guy masturbating? Another hitting his wife? And said wife staying with him? What was this? But they all did their best to watch. But really, no dialogue.

Almost a long hour and a half later, the movie ended...and silence took a hold of the group. No one said a thing.

"Well...what did you think?" Ji Hoo asked, hopeful. His brothers weren't answering; Jae Kyung had fallen asleep, and Sun Mi gave him a small smile.

"Um, I think it was very interesting, Ji Hoo-ah," his girlfriend said.

"Yeah, I mean, the guy wasn't there, right?" Jun Pyo jumped in. "He was a fantasy in her head."

"No, he was there," Jan Di said. "He had found a way to 'disappear' somehow, right?"

"Yes. I also think that," Ji Hoo agreed.

"But then, why do they change the scale to stop at zero?" Yi Jung asked.

"Because it's like he's her shadow." Jan Di tried to remember all the facts before continuing with her theory. "It's like when two components cancel each other out. Sometimes one plus one is zero."

"Please, do explain that to me because I excel at math, and that is not possible," Woo Bin interjected.

"It's easy." Jan Di stood up and went to Woo Bin. "Let's say the distance of one of my steps represents one movement. That means one, right?" He nodded. "So if I go forward, I move one." She moved. "And if I go backwards, I also move one." She did it again. "So, I moved 1 and then 1, but I ended up at the same place, so one plus one is zero. Or, at least, I think it's something like that…" She turned to Ji Hoo and was relieved to see him smiling.

"It is something like that," he confirmed.

"And he actually loved her. Even though they hardly spoke-" she continued, standing up.

"-they understood what the other felt," Ji Hoo finished, also leaving Sun Mi's side and standing up. "And she went to all the places they'd been before-"

"-to feel closer to him. Like his essence was still present in the things they used and repaired and saw, but-"

"-it wasn't enough. She was waiting for him to come back, in a way she knew he would. It's not like they completed each other; together-"

"-they were one," Jan Di finished, noticing Ji Hoo and she were now in the center of the living room. "That's amazing. He did all that for her and then the 'Saranghae' phrase at the end...priceless. Who's the director?" she asked excitedly. It had been ages since she'd watched such a good movie.

"Kim Ki-duk. He's an amazing visionary. I think you'd also like 'Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter... and Spring', 'The Bow' and 'Time'. Those are great to start with."

"Do you have them?"

Quietly, the group watched as these two went on about films that they didn't quite understand.

"It's kinda nostalgic, huh?" Yi Jung asked Jun Pyo.

"What? Watching these two talk about things only they get?" Against his will, he smiled. "Yeah, it is."

"They did this a lot?" Jae Kyung asked, curious.

"They sometimes started talking about one subject and completely changed it after a minute, and they could go on and on for hours. One time, we let them talk for four hours before interrupting. They hadn't even noticed it had been that long." Woo Bin chuckled.

"Ji Hoo-ah?" A sweet voice called his name.

"Yeah?" Ji Hoo seemed to focus again on the now and realized he had been lost for a second. "Oh, yeah, sorry. We tend to talk without noticing our environment."

"Well, we used to," Jan Di said with a laugh.

"Oh, guys!" Woo Bin called while making his way to Jae Kyung and asking her to take out an envelope. "I have here something I promised you." Opening it, Woo Bin gave Jae Kyung some pictures.

"Omo! Jan Di-ah, you look so cute with short hair!"

"What did you give her?!" Jan Di asked, a bit worried.

"Some school pics we took. She said she wanted to see your short hair."

Jan Di was a bit embarrassed as everyone started to pass the pictures around, but this prompted the guys to remember their school years and the things they'd done in the past, causing them to laugh in a good manner. She, on her part, was glad that they could. Apologizing for their antics as an F4 when they gave out Red Cards as if they were candies was one of the things that cost the guys the most.

"Of course, I also brought the _pièce de résistance_." Everyone stayed silent as Woo Bin made a big dramatic movement, taking out a magazine that had Jan Di on the cover.

"Oh my God, how do you have that? And _why_ do you have it?" Jan Di asked out loud.

On the cover, she was sitting on the backrest of a couch, in a male's shirt and with her hair styled, makeup on her eyes, looking deeply into the camera lens. Next to her was Haje, a now renowned Korean male model who had triumphed in Paris and London with his Asian features. He was dressed in a black suit with his mouth kind of open. The picture didn't show it well, but he was supposed to be a vampire.

"You modeled, Jan Di?" Jae Kyung was quickly going through the pictures with Sun Mi, both surprised at her versatility, and even sexiness, in the pictures.

"No, I…" She quickly glanced at both Jun Pyo and Ji Hoo, neither of which looked too happy about remembering the incident with Lee Jae Ha. "I did it for the money. He went to Shinhwa, and I knew him briefly…"

"You know supermodel star Haje?" Sun Mi asked her.

"No, I don't know him. As I said, he attended Shinhwa, and we sorta...became friends?" Jun Pyo scoffed at that description. "He offered me a job at his workplace, and then suddenly, he came out transformed!" When Jae Kyung inquired about this transformation, Jan Di explained that Jae Ha looked very different at school than when he was Haje. "So, he asked me to do some pictures, and at first, I said no, but...the money was good, so I did it. I just didn't know they planned to use them in a national magazine."

"Well, you look amazing. Very beautiful," Sun Mi said.

"Yeah, I mean, Jan Di, I know you're good looking, but with some makeup on you'd be irresistible!" Jae Kyung was still looking at the magazine.

"I don't use makeup. I really don't know how."

"What about modeling for our company?"

"What?"

"I see where you're going, Jae Kyung," Woo Bin interrupted. "I think it's a good chance, Jan Di."

"You are beautiful, and a bit of work here and there will make you look stunning in an ad. Plus, the money is still good," Yi Jung offered.

"Thanks, but no. I'm not a model, and I have no idea what I'd do in front of a camera."

"You just have to smile! I think we have a real possibility here. You can take some modeling jobs here and there that will make you a great amount of money, and then you'll have more time with Ji Min." Jae Kyung was talking out loud but to herself.

Jan Di turned to the only two people who seemed not on board with the idea and silently asked for help.

Jun Pyo was still fuming, so it was Ji Hoo who spoke up.

"I think we were about to call it a night?"

"Yup, we were." Woo Bin finally noticed Jan Di wasn't all that comfortable. He knew that even if modeling was a great idea for a good paying job, Jan Di wasn't one of those girls that dreamt of being in an ad. Asking for the pictures back -though Jae Kyung asked to keep the magazine one more day- he went to say goodbye to Jan Di. "I wanted you to watch _300,_ so I could see you blush." Woo Bin grinned.

"Why blush? It's like a war movie, right?"

"Spartans used to fight naked; in the movie they have little to no clothes, and there is an intimate scene, so I think that's what he meant," Ji Hoo provided.

Jan Di thought she would have blushed as Woo Bin said, but she didn't want to give him the satisfaction by confirming it. Instead, she quickly came up with a retort. "I have a baby, Woo Bin. How do you think that happened?"

"Whoa, no! I don't need that visual of the woman I consider my sister. I'll be scarred for life!"

"Then stop trying to get me flustered. And keep it down! Ji Min is still sleeping."

"Okay, sorry, sorry. No more mentions about how you're no longer a virgin, ok?" Jan Di had to laugh at that. She was hardly a virgin. Glancing to the side, she noticed she had indeed blushed, but for an entirely different reason. Even though years had passed, she still remembered how it felt to be so close to someone else that you breathed the air they exhaled.

"We're going now, but tomorrow is my day." Jan Di was confused, it was supposed to be Ji Hoo's because he had swaped with Yi Jung.

"I'm sorry, I have to swap again. I have some things to get ready for my day." Ji Hoo told her and she nodded.

Jun Pyo gave her a hug. "I'll probably send for you 'cause I have a long meeting in the morning, but we'll have fun somehow."

"I'll be there, too, just to make sure he doesn't show you his kind of fun. You know, statistic charts and accounting books," Jae Kyung said.

"Yah, monkey!" Jan Di laughed, though she still didn't understand what the monkey name was about. She figured it must be something that, while it may sound offensive to others, was a term of endearment from Jun Pyo.

Everyone in the room said their goodbyes with a kiss or a hug, Ji Hoo assuring Jan Di he'd get her the films when his day came. Finally closing the door, she relaxed a bit and went to clean up everything, but her phone buzzed with a text before she could get started.

 _ **-Go to sleep. We'll get someone to clean that. And no, no arguments.**_ Said Woo Bin's text.

How was it that after so many years they still knew her so well?

She didn't clean up everything, but she tidied up a bit for her peace of mind. She, of course, loved a break and was thankful when her mother would take care of some chores to let her sleep or relax a bit, still...old habits die hard.

* * *

Internally thanking F4, she went through her nightly routine before joining her son in bed. The plush toy she had put next to him was now trapped under his right arm. He loved that puppy; even after getting a different and newer one for his birthday, he still liked this one the most. She didn't understand why, but it pained her from time to time. She should've left it in the city when she moved out or stuffed it away with the things she didn't use in the back of her closet. But she hadn't been able to, and some nights, she had fallen asleep, just like Ji Min, hugging the cute-looking plush puppy.

Sighing and shaking her head to rid it of futile thoughts, she climbed in and pulled the covers over her. The next day would be Jun Pyo's day, and she had a hunch that she would need all of her strength and patience.

* * *

 **What do you think? Was it good? Was it bad? Leave a juicy review to tell me all about it!**

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 ** _Coming up in Part of Me:_**

It's Jun Pyo's day. Another encounter will happen and a small argument will take place. Jun Pyo will offer Jan Di his help. Jae Kyung will take Jan Di and Ji Min to a beauty salon for a makeover! What will the results be?


	8. Confrontations, makeover and Girls night

**Hello...are you still there?**

 **I hope you are and I can't express in words how sorry I am for taking so long in updating. Life has happened, my son is now 3, I have a bit of a health issue I'm hoping to attack soon and my work is very demanding 4 out of 5 days of the weeks. Not trying to excuse, just to explain. I'm very grateful to you who have been sending me PMs and reviews, following and choosing this story as favorite. I'll try my best that the next update is not so far away.**

 **Thank you all!**

 **Shoutout to JHsgf82, she shares my thoughts and what we come up with is epic. Thanks, boo! And thanks for lending me the candy line ;)**

 _ **Previously on Part of Me:**_ Jan Di and Ji Min went to a museum and had a blast. An encounter with Yi Jung's father left a bitter taste for a bit; however, later, all the gang plus girlfriends spend a movie night. Woo Bin revealed Jan Di's model pictures from her Shinhwa days and Ji Hoo has moved his day once more because of preparations for his day.

* * *

When Jan Di woke up the next day, she realized it was way later than she usually did. Normally, on the island, she would have to rise with the rooster song, all the family actually, except for Ji Min. She would need to put some hot water for hers and Ji Min's bath, finish putting his lunchbox together, and help her mother with breakfast. When this was ready, she'd have to drag Ji Min out of bed; he absolutely _hated_ to be woken early.

When everyone finally arrived, showered, dressed and with lunches in hand, they would all leave for different activities at 7am. Her dad left home at 4am to catch the fish her mother would sell at the market.

While Kang San went to school with his nephew, Jan Di went to her job at the diner. It wasn't close to home, but it was the job that had paid her the most so far. Chul Moo had gotten her that job; he was the one in charge of deliveries of fresh vegetables, meat, and the like for the small place, so he volunteered Jan Di for the cashier job after they found out the last girl had been stealing.

It was a good thing she had paid attention in the finances classes at Shinhwa, not that you needed a lot to run a petty cash register, but her organized ways had gained her the trust of the owners, and she was happy with it.

Now, she was getting ready at almost 9:30am...she couldn't deny it felt nice to simply laze around for a change.

As Jun Pyo had said, she and Ji Min were picked up after breakfast and taken to Shinhwa Co., the tallest building in the country. They were told to wait in a huge lobby, and she felt a bit nervous at clashing so hard with her attire. She wore jeans again, sneakers, a long sleeved shirt, and a jacket. Same with Ji Min, except he also wore one of the new hats he had been gifted with.

It was no more than fifteen minutes, that felt like six hours to Jan Di, when Jun Pyo came out of an office as two people opened the double doors. He was still talking with a man to his right while, to his left, a woman held up a carpet, and he was signing some papers. A couple more minutes, and more people came out. Jun Pyo politely smiled, shook hands, bowed and turned to them with a true smile on his face.

"Sorry about that! It took longer than I thought. Ji Min…" Jun Pyo gave his left hand to the boy, and before a very surprised Jan Di, they performed the 'secret greeting' Yi Jung and Woo Bin had taught him the day before yesterday. "That was very good, just a few more tries and you'll get it perfectly." Ji Min was happy.

After greeting Jan Di with a hug, he said they could go, but Ji Min had other plans.

"Jun Pyo Hyung-nim!" The man in question was pleasantly startled by the boy's new term of endearment. So far, Ji Hoo had been the only one Ji Min hadn't called 'Uncle.'

"Yes, Ji Min-ah?"

"What do you do? I mean, what's your work? You looked so cool! Like those TV commercials when the guy is dressed nice and has a lot of underlings!"

"Ji Min, I've told you they're not underlings." Jan Di rolled her eyes. "Excuse him, Jun Pyo, he thinks that anyone who follows a person who holds power is like that. It's because of a cartoon he watched at a friends' house."

"I get that. Ji Min, I've planned to go someplace else."

"But this...office?" He looked to his mom to see if he said it right, and she nodded. "Looks so nice and pretty. Can we stay for a bit?"

Jun Pyo could understand, in a way, that even a boring office would hold Ji Min's attention. After all, Shinhwa only hired the best interior decorators.

"I'll give you a tour before we leave, then." Ji Min did a little happy dance and thanked Jun Pyo with a hug.

Taking his mom's hand, he asked Jun Pyo to take the other, and soon, the three of them were walking around while Jun Pyo tried his best to tone down his usual business speech when presenting the building. Jan Di, of course, helped with simple explanations that made Ji Min even more sure that he would someday be like Jun Pyo Hyung and work at a big, pretty office.

Of course, the three of them turned heads as they walked through the halls. No one had ever seen the Shinhwa heir openly laughing with a kid or another woman that wasn't his girlfriend. Used to his stern look and his serious demeanor, they all respected the new boss and even felt a sense of loyalty to him that his mother had never provoked in them, but still, it was weird to see him so relaxed. Of course, you can't make everyone happy, and Jun Pyo was aware that some of his workers only stayed at Shinhwa because of the attractive benefits package.

"How did you convince your mother to let you take over the business at last?" Jan Di asked while she and Jun Pyo watched Ji Min play on the daycare floor of the company. One of the many changes Jun Pyo had made was to dedicate a whole floor, instead of a large office, for it. Every mother needed to be at ease about her kids.

"It was a huge acquisition I managed to make. The old witch had tried for years to woo these people, without any success. She thought it would be a good lesson for me to be completely humiliated as she had been. I went in blind; I knew nothing about this particular investor but what she told me." His face denoted pride now. "Lo and behold, they handed over their company for a merger with the condition that I would be the one in charge of negotiations."

"I can only imagine your mother's face."

Jun Pyo looked as if he was remembering a happy occasion. "I actually taped it. I can show it to you later." They both laughed at this.

"What have you planned for today, Jun Pyo?"

"It is a surprise, so no more bothering me with it."

"Oh, of course not. I wouldn't dare. Do excuse me, please," Jan Di mockingly answered.

"Yah! You are already a mother and a...How old are you again?"

"Classy...I'm 26. Are your curls too heavy that you forget things?"

"What's wrong with them?" He had always been self-conscious about his uncommon curls.

"Nothing, I'm just messing with you...really."

Jun Pyo had missed that. With Jan Di, sometimes the people around them might they were offending each other, which they did, at first. But then their banter escalated to something only they could do. None of the other guys would even dare to call her 'low class laundry girl', but he could, and he knew Jan Di gave as good as she got.

"We should go, not that we're late or anything, but I know Ji Min will like where I'm taking him."

* * *

Jan Di had to call her son and be very stern about them leaving because the boy was incredibly entertained at the moment. But as soon as they got to their next destination, Ji Min's pout vanished and his eyes grew as big as saucers.

Unable to utter one single word, he was led by Jun Pyo, along with his mother, to the biggest, most amazing toy store he had ever laid eyes on.

"This is the newest Shinhwa toy store we have, Seoul Kid's Palace."

"Goo Jun Pyo, this is...amazing." Jan Di was clearly impressed, and Jun Pyo couldn't help but feel proud at the praise.

"You're the first to come to this store before inauguration. So, please, would you mind helping me give it a test run?"

"What's a tes...a tess...what's that you just said?" Ji Min couldn't very well pronounce the name, and even though he was interested in knowing how he was going to help Jun Pyo, his eyes still roamed over the various colorful boxes and big book corner in sight from their vantage point.

"It means I want you to go and choose whatever you want, play with every game, and pretty much touch everything you see."

"I...really!? I can do that!? Omma, Omma!" Ji Min was jumping up and down in excitement.

"Jun Pyo-ah," she whispered, "are you sure about this?" Clearly, he didn't know how much energy an eight-year-old could have.

"Yeah, that's why I brought you here." Jun Pyo was clearly happy with his idea, and Jan Di, after a glance and a sigh, decided to relent.

"Ji Min-ah..." She kneeled in front of her son, ready to tell him the rules of being in a place that wasn't their home. But then she fell short. What was she supposed to say now? The rules were: 1. Don't touch anything that isn't yours. 2. If you want something that isn't yours, you need to ask for permission. 3. You touch with your eyes and see with your hands.

Really, with a young boy, rules were necessary, not that Ji Min was a naughty kid, but he was a kid, so he of course was curious about anything and everything.

But Jun Pyo had effectively voided all of their usual rules, so she had no other choice but to acknowledge that. "Just, try not to break anything. Okay, honey?"

"Okay!"

"Do you promise me you'll be careful about what you touch and what you play with?"

"I will!" said Ji Min, holding his hand up in sacred oath.

"Then off you go." With a last smile at her little star, he ran to the nearest shelf and went crazy.

"It's okay if he breaks something. It's not like I can't replace it," Jun Pyo told her as they made their way closer to Ji Min.

"Please, don't ever say that to him." She turned to her friend. "I know you're almost omnipotent, Jun Pyo, but he needs to know and follow a few rules. And just a bit of advice for the future, never diminish a parent's authority in front of their children." She said this with a raised brow and a smirk. "You'll know what I mean in a couple of years, probably."

Ji Min had the time of his life. He thought the laser tag had been great, but this? To be in a toy store on his own? He was living out the life dream of every other kid out there in the world. He played with a remote control car; Jun Pyo helped him a bit at first, but he quickly got the gist of it. He went on the swings and then ran to the ball pool. He was able to open a tea set and ask his mom and Jun Pyo Hyung to sit with him and play. By the time he realized, it was lunch time, and he was extremely hungry...and thirsty.

"Omma, I want water, please." Jan Di took out his bottle from the small backpack and watched how the liquid was quickly gulped down.

"I'm sorry. I can get someone to bring us food here," Jun Pyo said, a bit embarrassed. Of course he skipped meals when he was busy or simply didn't feel like eating, but Ji Min was a kid. Jae Kyung had told him children needed at least three meals a day.

"That's okay. It's just a habit to bring a bit of everything, just in case."

"What do you have there?" He was curious

"Oh, just the usual," she opened the bag so he could see inside, "wet wipes, some cookies, water, band-aids, an extra shirt and underwear, a comb, perfume…" Jun Pyo knew a woman's bag was a different world, but Jan Di's bag was a whole different universe.

"That's the usual?"

"Wait until you get a kid; you'll know Pororo by heart."

"Know who?"

"Just let me know when you have a kid and he's two; we'll talk then."

Jun Pyo once again thought about how Jan Di was a single mom and how easy she made it look, although he knew it was everything but. There were two or three single moms in his company that he knew of, and gossip told him that for these women it was never easy to be a father and a mother. Jae Kyung's own sister was soon going to be a single mom. The father of the child had died in a hiking accident, and her sister had just found out she was pregnant at the time. It hadn't been easy.

"Should we go get something to eat?" Jan Di agreed because her stomach was a minute away from making its presence known with a very loud sound. She called Ji Min, and he came running.

"Can I take these toys?"

"Ji Min! These-"

"Sure, that's why I brought you here. Take whatever you want."

Jan Di turned to Jun Pyo slack-jawed. Was he really going to…?

"Jun Pyo, this is _way_ toomuch!"

"It's okay, he had fun; he can take whatever he wants. You're not drilling a hole in my budget, Jan Di."

"I know, but…" Of course it was already too late. Ji Min had already gone to choose what he wanted to take. Jan Di had never been able to buy such toys. Her son had toys, yes, but not a huge amount of them, and not of expensive brands like these. She usually bought the imitation; it was cheaper and fulfilled the same purpose.

Truth was, she was starting to get worried. They were only staying for a week, and Ji Min had never known luxuries like this. Not that she hadn't experienced this kind of thing on a daily basis after getting close to F4, but she had been older and knew not to let sparkly things go to her head when she hung out with them...but what about her son?

"Are you okay?" Jun Pyo asked when he saw the worried expression on Jan Di's face.

"Yeah."

Ji Min chose that moment to appear with five boxes in hand.

"Is that all you want to take?" Jun Pyo was surprised; usually kids went crazy, and Ji Min had, but in a more measured manner. He had only opened three boxes and was now carrying five.

"Yeah, I want to give one to Halmeoni, one to Harabeoji, one to Samchon, one for mom, and one for me." Then he looked a bit sheepish. "Is that okay?"

Jan Di exhaled, and some of her worries lessened. But now, she was conflicted. Her son was being careful in what he chose, not going all out as he had been instructed, even after receiving her okay for it. Should he really be this cautious at his age?

She didn't understand herself sometimes. She wanted her son to enjoy the leisure time F4 was gifting them, but she didn't want him to be lost in the riches, and now she felt bad when Ji Min didn't, in fact, lose his head.

"Yes, it's okay. Just leave them here; I'll have someone take them to your hotel later." Jun Pyo told him.

"But…" Ji Min clearly didn't want to let go of the new toys.

"It's okay, I promise all of these will be waiting for you when you get back to the hotel." Ji Min looked ready to cry, and Jun Pyo didn't know what else to do.

"Hey, little prince, why don't you take one with you? The one you like the most, and then the rest can stay here and we can play together later with the one you chose for me." Jan Di knew she needed to bargain for the toys; it wasn't fair to give Ji Min all of these and then tell him to leave them.

After careful deliberation in his head, Ji Min thought it better to have one rather than none and took the 'Simon Says' game.

"I thought he was going to cry," Jun Pyo confessed to Jan Di once they were inside the car that would take them to lunch.

"He was, but I know what to do in these cases."

"Glad to know…"

* * *

Lunch had been funny. Jun Pyo had taken them to a luxury restaurant, only to have the lobster and crab rejected by Ji Min. The little kid didn't know what to do with such a grandiose presentation, so Jan Di, once again, came to his aid and asked for a salad, some crab meat in a Japanese omelette, and a fresh lemonade. She accepted the amazing dishes with a smile; although, she needed his help to discern what was actually being served. The portions were tiny, and according to the Chef, meant to be savored slowly.

To her great surprise, they didn't get to finish, and Jun Pyo took them to a market where they went all out: Tteokbokki, Egg Toast, Grilled Cheese Lobster and Hweori Gamja. She felt like they were at a festival because they went from stall to stall just eating away. The people around weren't the least bit intimidated by Jun Pyo's designer suit, for it was no secret that even higher representatives came down to the streets to get the best food Korea had to offer.

"So, how does it feel to come to the commoner's turf?" Jan Di asked while eating with gusto a Tornado Potato.

"Just so you know, Geum Jan Di, I visit several markets for business research."

"And the food, no doubt."

They both laughed, and it was relaxing. Jun Pyo was smiling, something that his subordinates almost never got to see. Being next to Jan Di, it felt like no time had passed.

But they still needed to talk.

He was about to open his mouth again when his phone rang.

"Give me a minute. Sorry."

While he talked on the phone, Jan Di crouched next to Ji Min to share some of the food. The little boy was completely stuffed, but he still wanted to keep eating.

She could see Jun Pyo making wide movements with his arms and rubbing his forehead in discomfort. Not a minute later, he came back to them.

"Jan Di-ah...Sorry, I need to run to the office."

"Oh, that's okay. We can take the bus to-"

"No! We're not cutting the day short. But, could you please come to the office again? They just need me to sign some papers. I'll take 10 minutes, tops."

"I wouldn't want to-"

"I want to go!" Ji Min said, raising his hand. He was excited to once more see Jun Pyo's office and him in action.

Before Jan Di could say anything, the older man took the younger one's hand and began to walk to the exit of the market. Laughing a bit to herself, she followed them. There was no way she could win a two-against-one battle. Besides, Ji Min could be as stubborn as Jun Pyo when he wanted to be.

Smiling to herself, she followed them to the car, and they were off to Shinhwa again.

Ji Min was so excited that he kept asking questions of Jun Pyo while they traveled to the offices of Shinhwa again. Jun Pyo was incredibly patient and answered even repeated questions without seeming uncomfortable. Jan Di looked at the both of them with a bit of longing. Perhaps, if she had come forward earlier about her pregnancy, things would've been different. Ji Min would've had more moments like this, growing up beside four crazy but good men.

She internally scolded herself once more, but there was no use wondering what could've been. Things had happened; she had made a decision, and she was sticking by it, no matter what.

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As soon as they arrived at the building, Jun Pyo took them to the fifteenth floor and asked them to wait in the lobby. He ran off, and Jan Di laughed.

While her son watched some videos on her new phone, she caressed his hair and smiled at him; he was being such a good boy today. Not that he was naughty all the time, but he had known how to behave, and that made her proud. She loved for her son to be a kid, scraped knees and dirty hands and all, but to see him trying to be a bit more mature made her proud. While watching Pororo with Ji Min, she didn't realize there had been a person carefully hidden, adding numbers in her head.

It wasn't until the distinctive sound of heels clicking on the floor could be heard that Jan Di turned around and saw the only person she truly hated in this world.

"What are you doing here?"

"Madam Kang." She immediately stood up and shielded her son. The woman in front of her looked older but still beautiful, with perfect makeup and expensive clothes on. One thing that hadn't changed about her was the cold flame in her gaze.

"I don't usually repeat myself, girl."

Jan Di remembered she had been asked a question. "I'm visiting the city."

"And you had to come to Shinhwa?" Kang Hee Soo folded her arms and looked Jan Di up and down, from head to toes. "You still haven't changed. Trailing behind my son, begging for him to accept you and no doubt, that brat behind you."

"Say whatever you want to me." She took a step forward, causing the other woman to flinch a bit. "It's not new, and I frankly don't care. But say something bad about my son, and I'll rip off your pretty manicured nails one by one," Jan Di hissed through clenched teeth. She remembered all this woman had done to her, how she had tormented her family because Jun Pyo liked her, the lay-off of her best friend's parents, the absurd amount of money she pushed at her to 'disappear,' insisting it should be 'enough for someone of her class'.

One of her favorite memories was that of throwing that envelope right back in Madam Kang's face. It actually made her laugh during rough times.

'Class,' as if Madam Kang knew anything about that word.

"You're such a shrew," she spat out her words with venom.

"We'll be taking our leave." Jan Di could take whatever this woman had in her repertoire; she wasn't eighteen anymore, but she wasn't about to have a showdown in front of Ji Min.

"Is Jun Pyo the father?" Jan Di stopped carrying her son and turned around. Was this woman for real? Had she really asked this, here? In a lobby where people passed by every moment and where a secretary was paying way too much attention to the scene?

"What?!"

"You disappear for six years, don't leave a note or tell anyone what happened. I'm ashamed to say Jun Pyo and his little group went half mad trying to look for you, and now here you are, with a kid that looks strangely the same age. I'm not stupid. If you've come to ask for money, I can give it to you, but there is no way I'll allow a bastard child to be the next heir of Shinhwa."

"Omma?" Ji Min's voice was small. "Is Jun Pyo Hyung-nim my dad?"

"Mother!" A disheveled Jun Pyo appeared from an office to bellow at the woman. He quickly made his way to his friends, and now it was him shielding both Ji Min and Jan Di. "I thought it was strange that they so suddenly called me to 'sign some papers.' I had made sure to free up this day as best I could."

Hee Soo sighed. She had wished to avoid this with Jun Pyo. Her son was still too immature, and she couldn't risk the appearance of the commoner to cloud his mind. If he broke up with the heiress of JK Group…

"Jun Pyo-ah, just go home. I'll deal with this."

"Deal with what?" Jan Di was trying desperately to move away with Ji Min, but the little boy went to tightly grasp Jun Pyo's leg, much to her misfortune.

"That." His mother pointed down at his leg and spoke in a deadpan tone. "This doesn't need to be a big deal; it's not like it's the first or last time I've had to clean up after one of your messes."

"You have no right to talk to me like that, or her and her son. She's _my_ guest; she's welcome here, and you _will not_ humiliate her."

"If you were stupid enough to get her pregnant you need to be smart enough to get rid of the problem before she sells the story to the media."

Jun Pyo looked lost for a second before he understood his mother's words. "What!?"

"Your mother believes Ji Min is your son." Jan Di stood next to him, no use in trying to avoid the confrontation now.

"Bu- Tha- The- Impossible!"

"I know, but she doesn't believe it." Jan Di moved her hand in the general direction of Hee-Soo.

"There is a quick way to know if he is or not. A blood test-" But Hee Soo was immediately cut off by an enraged mother.

"If you think for a second I'm going to let one of your doctors pinch my son with a needle, you're stupider than I thought." Before his mother could have a conniption at Jan Di's words, someone else joined the party.

"There is no way he's the father, Madam Kang." A sweet voice interrupted the small gathering. Jae Kyung was walking toward them in a business suit that looked cut-throat. Standing next to Jun Pyo, she declared, "I can assure you Ji Min is not Jun Pyo's son."

"Jae Kyung-ssi, I'd appreciate if you stayed out of this. You shouldn't be subjected to some commoner lies."

"But I'm not." Jae Kyung then moved to stand next to Jan Di and linked arms with her, much to her future mother-in-law's annoyance. "I can assure you Ji Min is not Jun Pyo's son," she repeated, "because I was his first."

The way she delivered that line, as if she was saying she had sushi for lunch, made everyone stare at her in bewilderment. "What? Now you can be sure that this beautiful little boy has not even one single drop of your blood running through his veins." She stopped for a second to look at her boyfriend. "That sounded a bit dramatic, huh?" That was the Jae Kyung Jun Pyo knew and loved, addding a touch of funny and I-don't-give-a-fuck to the situation.

"Happy now, Old Witch?" How this woman had ever had kids, he didn't know. He couldn't remember even one time his mother had held him the way Jan Di held Ji Min, or carried him, or stroked his hair just for the sake of it. As soon as he took the reins of Shinhwa Co., he was so going to send her on a sweet, long, faraway vacation.

Madam Kang was, obviously, raging inside, but she was a woman of many masks. Giving the group a final look, she left them without another word.

A collective sigh came from the three adults in the lobby.

"A word of this to any media site, and you'll be on the blacklist," Jun Pyo threatened the secretary that seemed to be hiding her phone.

"A...A blacklist...sir?"

"You won't be able to get a job in Seoul, Chungchon, Kangwon or Kyonsang."

"I...I didn't see anything, sir." She suddenly slipped into her professional demeanor. "I assure you nothing of this will leave this room."

"Good. Now, go take a break somewhere." With a bow, the secretary ran away before the next owner of the company changed his mind. It was not a secret that in his younger years he would fire someone just because he didn't like the color of his tie.

When Jun Pyo turned around, he was shocked to find Ji Min crying on Jan Di's shoulder.

"What's wrong?" He asked Jae Kyung.

"He thought for a second you were his father, so he started asking Jan Di if you weren't him, then where is he." She sighed, knowing that, at some point, perhaps her little nephew would ask the same thing. Hopefully, her sister would find a man to love, but for now, that seemed impossible; her wounds were still too fresh.

"By the way, why did you lie?"

"What?"

"You told her you were my first, and you know that isn't true."

"I know, but she doesn't. And you said you weren't the father, so I believe you." Short and simple, so Jae Kyung.

"Thanks, Jae."

Suddenly, they could hear Jan Di softly speaking to her son. "I promise you; I promise your appa will return, and when he does, I'll introduce you to him, and he'll be very happy to meet you. He'll love you so, so, so much."

"Why isn't he here now?" Ji Min cried, and Jan Di felt a stab deep in her heart.

"Because...Because he had someone he needed to meet. Hmm? He had to meet this person and then, one day, he was going to come back. So, please, my prince, please don't cry. I'll do my best to find your appa, yeah?"

"Y-You p-pr-promise?" Ji Min hiccupped his words.

"Yes, I promise."

 _Liar, liar, pants on fire._ She recited in her head.

"Ji Min-ah, what do you say we go clean your face, yeah?" Jae Kyung offered her help, and Ji Min obediently took her hand after his mother said it was okay.

Jan Di was fighting her tears and the feeling in her chest that once more consumed and bludgeoned her with guilt.

"Who is he?"

"Huh?" Jan Di turned around to find a stern-looking Jun Pyo.

"Who is Ji Min's father? You know where he is, don't you?"

"I- What are you talking about?"

He quickly grabbed her arm and led her to one of the corners that could give him a vantage point of the hall from where Jae and Ji Min would return soon.

"Jan Di, if he did this to you, if he abandoned you and Ji Min, then tell me, so I can-"

"So you can what?!"

"So I can beat him to an inch of his death! You don't think all of us want to do that? Do you think that if I told Yi Jung, Woo Bin, and Ji Hoo that I knew who and where this guy is, they wouldn't come with me and take turns using him as a punching bag?"

"Goo Jun Pyo, please. You don't know-"

"Yes! I don't! Because you won't tell us! 'He had to meet this person.'" He faked Jan Di's voice. "At least create a better lie! Say he died or something!"

Jan Di knew he was right. She could've simply invented an accident and told her child that his father was dead; that would've been so much easier than causing her little prince pain. But another small part of her head had always asked her, what if someday you find him? What if, by a miracle, you make up with him and you can once again be together?

"Jan Di-ah," he took her face in his hands and tilted it up so he could hold her gaze, "I loved you. I was in love with you. I was so angry when you left, but then I know so were the guys. I knew you didn't feel the same way about me; that was made clear after the trials, but damn it! You could've told us something! We could've helped you! I wanted to help you, no matter the amount of money you needed; you know I could've afforded it, all of us could've." Jan Di couldn't keep the tears at bay anymore. "I know you won't tell me who he is, but if you ever, _ever_ , want to, then I'll make sure he doesn't hurt you or Ji Min, you hear me?" She nodded, and he hugged her.

Jan Di couldn't have imagined the extent and consequences of her actions. She knew she was going to hurt them, but not this much. They had only been friends for months! Except for Ga Eul, she never thought F4 would take her departure in such a harsh way.

"Oh, and, I'm sorry about what happened when I went to your house."

"What?" Jan Di pulled away from him and cleaned her eyes with a handkerchief he offered her. "Ji Hoo is rubbing off on you."

"Yeah, probably."

"What did you say about…?"

"Remember when I went to your house? It was a week after the trials and…what I did, I mean…"

"Oh! That, um," she blushed, "it's okay. I mean, it's not, but you weren't thinking clearly and we hadn't spoken about what happened in New Caledonia, so...yeah."

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have forced you to-"

"We promised to never talk about that, right?"

"Right. But still, I'm sorry for the jerk I was when we were at school."

"You're still a jerk, Jun Pyo." She joked.

"Yah!"

Jae Kyung came back with Ji Min a few minutes later, the boy clearly excited for some reason.

Jun Pyo greeted them. "Glad that you're back. Now we can go to-"

"The salon!" Jae Kyung exclaimed.

"Excuse me?"

"I was telling Ji Min he has such nice hair but I think a modern style would suit him better. And Jan Di also needs a trim, right?"

"Well, I-" Jan Di was a bit surprised.

"Trust me. I know the best stylist in Korea. He would definitely give you a makeover, so, so…!" She seemed unable to find the words. "Anyway, you'll end up looking _très magnifique._ "

"Yah, monkey! It's my day, and we weren't done yet."

"Aw, Jun.." she stretched the 'u' in his name, "can you just let me do this one itty-bitty tiny little thing?" She put on a pout that made Jan Di want to give her some candies. She could see Jun Pyo was fighting a losing battle.

"Well, I guess we can go after the salon…"

"Yay!" She went to take Jan Di's hand. "Jan Di-ah, please entrust me with your makeovers. I'll make you and Ji Min look fabulous."

Jan Di didn't know if 'fabulous' was a good look back in the village, but she supposed she and Ji Min could use a haircut. Looking into Jae Kyung's puppy eyes, she agreed.

oº°˚˚°ºoº°˚˚°ºoº°˚˚°ºoº°˚˚°ºoº°˚˚°ºoº°˚˚°ºoº°˚˚°ºoº°˚˚°ºoº°˚˚°ºo

 _ **-Starting extreme makeover! *Ha Jae Kyung has sent you an attached pic***_

 _ **-Whoa, whoa! Why didn't anyone tell me about this? Where are you guys?**_

 _ **-Wasn't it supposed to be Jun Pyo's day?**_

 _ **-I convinced him to let me do the makeover! You guys coming?**_

 _ **-On my way!**_

 _ **-**_ **Bro,** _ **pick me up.**_

 _ **-Sorry, Jae Kyung, have some work to do. Do send some pictures later.**_

 _ **-You're a bore, Ji Hoo. Just come for a bit.**_

 _ **-I can go, Jae Kyung Noona.**_

 _ **-This was supposed to be my day!**_

oº°˚˚°ºoº°˚˚°ºoº°˚˚°ºoº°˚˚°ºoº°˚˚°ºoº°˚˚°ºoº°˚˚°ºoº°˚˚°ºoº°˚˚°ºo

Jae Kyung was happy. One of the things that she loved the most was dressing other people up. If she had been a daughter of a more normal family, she was sure she would've been a fashion designer.

But for now, in the salon, she was moving around quickly. She needed to make sure that the new looks would fit both Jan Di and Ji Min perfectly, plus the photographer was late! And the clothes she asked for hadn't arrived yet.

Jun Pyo watched his girlfriend move confidently and quickly, in her element. He trusted her when it came to clothes; she had renewed his entire wardrobe once they hit the year together mark, and although he had thought he was going to be furious, he had to admit 90% of his clothes were selected thinking of his preferences.

When Yi Jung and Woo Bin arrived, they were immediately banned from seeing their friend and her son. Jae Kyung wanted the maximum surprise element for when she made the big reveal. The only other one allowed to go in was Sun Mi.

"What's taking so long?"

"You think this is long?" Jun Pyo glared at Yi Jung. "I was sitting here for an hour before you arrived."

"You know how women are, _bro_." Woo Bin clapped his back.

"Yeah, but adding up the time Jun Pyo was waiting to our own, they've been inside for nearly two hours!"

They heard the door through which the 'subjects' were sliding open, and they all stood up, but only Sun Mi came out.

"Sorry, guys, they're going to be a few more minutes. Please be patient a bit longer; they're just adding the finishing touches."

"Ji Hoo is the only one who isn't here." Jun Pyo sent him a text.

"He's trying to get some work done for his day. I think he has something big prepared, so he needs all the time he can get. He was supposed to be with them on the second day, but then he exchanged it with me, and then with you, Jun Pyo," Yi Jung said.

"You think he might exchange his day again, Sun Mi?" Woo Bin asked the girl who took a seat across from them.

"He hasn't asked us, so I wouldn't know."

"What do you think he's doing?" Yi Jung asked, and Jun Pyo answered.

"Knowing him, I bet it has something to do with music."

The rest of the F4 laughed at this, well aware that their friend loved music above anything else.

After 10 more minutes of chat, Jae Kyung bounced out of the room.

"They're all ready!" She excitedly announced, and all of her friends stood up in expectance. Once they were as Jae Kyung wanted, she cleared her throat.

"He is a eight-year-old guy, loves meat, Pororo, and hanging out at the beach. He's Geum Ji Min!" On his cue, the mentioned boy came out, and everyone started clapping.

He looked so different!

With a new haircut, Ji Min came out rocking some ragged jeans and new sneakers. The look Jae Kyung had gone for was black: Hat, shirt, and leather jacket. Chic but not eccentric. The little boy smiled widely, though his cheeks were a bit pink.

"Ji Min! My man! You're going to break so many hearts!" Woo Bin was the first to go to him and salute him with F4's secret greeting.

"You look very handsome, Ji Min-ah," Sun Mi said, and she pecked his hair, which made Ji Min blush furiously.

"Thank you, noona! I really like the clothes, and I smell nice too!" Jun Pyo noticed they had put a bit of cologne on Ji Min, nothing too grown up, but definitely male.

"That's good, Ji Min. A man should always give off a scent that makes others turn around." Or course, at this comment, the boy seemed a bit confused, but he smiled nonetheless.

The only one who hadn't said anything yet was Yi Jung, and it wasn't that he didn't think Ji Min looked great but rather that he was having some kind of revelation that had turned him a bit pale.

"Yah, _bro_ , you okay?" Woo Bin saw Yi Jung's somewhat stunned expression.

"Yeah, yeah. Sorry." He went to Ji Min and told him he looked very cool, and the young man once again felt very tall, receiving praise from 3 men who were the coolest he'd ever seen.

"Okay, okay, and now, for the _piece de résistance_ …" She opened her arms to the door and out came Jan Di.

All the people outside had slack-jaws or widened eyes. They couldn't believe that the woman before them was Geum Jan Di. With a different hair color and a trim, fringe gone and makeup on, she looked nothing like the girl they knew, loved, and remembered.

She was wearing a long, tight black skirt, a white button down, sleeveless blouse, and a thin, black leather jacket.

At the silence both Jan Di and Jae Kyung encountered, the latter spoke, "Is everything okay?"

After a couple of seconds, Woo Bin took a step forward, stared at the new her, and sighed. "Geum Jan Di, I'll always look at you as my sister, but damn it if I'm not lying when I say I'm jealous of Ji Min's father. After all, he got you." Jan Di had always been immune to Casanova's and Don Juan's charms, but right then, seeing his smile, she looked down and felt shy at his words.

Yi Jung came up next. "Jan Di-ah. I really meant it when I asked you out on a date." And he was serious.

Of course he had joked and flirted, telling her what a fine woman she had turned out to be on the laser tag day, but deep down he knew that Jan Di was a kind of woman that came along only once. He had never liked her in that way, not ever, but looking at her right then, he was sure that if he tried, he could easily fall for a woman like her; and it wasn't only Jan Di's beauty, but her heart and her character.

But, of course, he could never really go for it. Not with her connection to both Ji Hoo and Jun Pyo. Even though the two had moved on, he couldn't do that to either of them, so he slipped on a sly smile and winked at her.

"I believe not one word from your mouth, So Yi Jung," Jan Di replied.

Shaking away the thoughts that had appeared in his mind, he turned back into his usual self.

"Just kidding." Yi Jung chuckled and nudged her.

Jan Di made a sound of annoyance but smiled, nonetheless.

Jun Pyo and Sun Mi also gave her compliments, though Jun Pyo had to receive a slap on the head from Woo Bin to stop gawking.

"So, what do you think? How many points out of ten for Ji Min?" Of course everyone raised their phones with a sound 10, which made Ji Min hug Jae Kyung and thank her loudly for what she had done.

Jae Kyung really, really liked kids but knew that she was a klutz when it came to babies; it had been proven when she visited her sister after the birth of her son and had tried to help. Not half an hour later, their mother had loudly 'asked' her to leave the house. It had hurt her a bit. Still, she hoped someday to have kids of her own and to be able to handle it by then.

Shaking her head and the thoughts away with it, she asked for Jan Di's score.

Jun Pyo and Sun Mi raised a 10, while Woo Bin raised an 11 and Yi Jung a 20.

"So great! I also give them the same! I'll get Ji Hoo to score your outfits later."

"But, Jae Kyung, do I really need to stay in this skirt? It's hard to move around in."

"I knew you were going to say that, so go back and put on what I left for you. Just let Marcus take a picture, okay?"

"Again?" Jan Di whined.

"Yes, again. Now go, go, go."

* * *

Some minutes later, Jan Di was kinda matching with her son: Ragged jeans, white tank top and a heavy, black leather jacket. She would've never put this on on her own, not because it didn't look amazing, but because she didn't think her sense of fashion was that good.

They decided to simply stroll around for a bit and show Jan Di some new stores and also places where Ji Min could play for free. No one told her that they had already asked the managers of certain places to never charge Jan Di or her son a dime; everything would run on F4's tab. Also, there was another reason for them to show Jan Di and Ji Min around.

All of F4 had had a meeting that very first night after the gifts, and they all wanted Jan Di to come back. It wasn't a money problem; it was a pride problem on their stubborn friend's part. If Jan Di hadn't asked for their help all those years ago, they were certain she wasn't going to do it now, but they were planning to bring her to the city often. Yi Jung was looking for a job for her dad; Jun Pyo was in charge of finding options for a new place; Woo Bin was reaching out to each and every not-so-legal contact he had to find out if there was still anyone looking to settle the score with the head of the Geum family. Ji Hoo, of course, had been given the role of mediator, for if anyone could convince Jan Di of something, it was him.

The girls, of course, were also helping in whatever way the could, so the whole gang was in on the plan. The only person unaware was Jan Di, but they were trying to do what they thought was best, not only for her, but also for her son.

They had all quickly and irrevocably started to care for Ji Min as they did for Jan Di, so their mission was clear. In six months' time, they wanted the whole Geum family to be back in town.

While they hung out around town, two guys had tried to pick up Jan Di, inviting her for a drink. Of course, she had quickly refused, and the second time, had even told the guy her boyfriend wouldn't like that. As if on cue, Woo Bin _and_ Yi Jung had promptly appeared next to her, leaving the unfortunate guy confused and scared.

Jan Di felt very weird and a bit uncomfortable with all the attention. Back in her teens, no one gave her a second thought; well, alright, two guys, but still the circumstances had been very peculiar. She wondered at how some makeup and the right outfit could transform a person.

They stopped for a bit at a coffee shop, where Ji Min drank hot chocolate and Jun Pyo complained that it was too late to go to the zoo, which had been part of his plan.

"I'm sorry, Jun. I didn't mean to crash your day." Jae Kyung gave her boyfriend her signature 'I'm-sorry' look, and to the amusement of the party, he blushed and relented. "Did you have any plans for tonight?"

"No, the zoo was the last destination. Why?"

"Because I've just thought of something that we can do tonight, Sun Mi-ah!"

"Yes? What is it?" The girl asked.

"You, Jan Di, Ga Eul, and I are going to have a girls' night! We can watch movies, eat some junk food, play some games...It's going to be awesome!"

"Jae Kyung-ssi, though I appreciate the thought-" Jan Di was about to protest, but Jae Kyung promptly cut her off.

"If you're worried about Ji Min, don't. We'll have girls' night in the next room, and I have bought the best baby video monitor on the market, so you'll be able to watch him either on the device or simply by going back to your room; it won't take you more than five minutes."

Jan Di could only stare at her. It wasn't that Ji Min didn't sleep through the night; her son loved his sleep time, but he was used to sleeping with her. He had done so since he was a baby until today.

When she turned to look for help, everyone was simply shaking their heads or smiling, as if telling her to go with it. They'd all learned and suffered the bludgeon of Jae Kyung's personality.

"I don't know if Ga Eul is available, though…" Jan Di played her last card.

"She is. I wrote her a few minutes ago, and she asked for a vacation day so she can come." While she didn't know when Jae Kyung had gotten her best friend's phone number, Jan Di saw that she only wanted to help her have a good time. And she had to admit, it had been a while since she last had a night with just women of her age.

Coming around to the idea, Jan Di agreed to Jae Kyung's plan.

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It was 11pm, and four women were in pajamas. Two of them sat on the floor with cushions in their laps, laughing madly; the other two were trying to win a game that they'd never played.

This consisted of feeding your partner while blindfolded, and so far, Jae Kyung and Sun Mi were losing spectacularly.

"Stop, stop! My stomach hurts, oh God…" Jan Di couldn't remember the last time she had laughed till tears.

"Jae Kyung, you better go clean yourself up and probably even change into a different set of pajamas," Ga Eul managed to say between laughs.

"Oh, alright, you guys win," she said. Sun Mi removed the blindfold and apologized to her unnie. "That's okay. This game goes to you, ladies."

They had been competing in silly games that required pairs, and of course, Jan Di had teamed up with Gaeul, and Jae Kyung with Sun Mi.

From pulling a rope to solving a puzzle to memorizing a choreography, the four of them were having a blast. It was the sleepover that every girl wanted to have, except they also had fondue, strawberries, chocolate fountain, and champagne.

Jan Di had been to her room twice, but after noticing that her baby monitor was actually a camera, she was calmer. Besides, Ji Min had been happy to know his mom was going to have fun, and through the monitor, she saw he was out for the night.

Yup, best sleepover ever.

Jae Kyung and Sun Mi had started the night with matching pajamas, a cute three-piece set, strapped shirt and tiny shorts with a silk robe in a floral pattern, while Jan Di and Ga Eul had been gifted by them with a set of two-piece pajamas, shirt and shorts. The latter two were both grateful for the more comfortable alternative.

"Make way, ladies, cause the lioness is coming through." Jae Kyung was standing at the bathroom door. She raised her leg to the wall and put on her sexy look.

Jan Di admired Jae Kyung's beauty, in and out. She had lived a privileged life, but she could be goofy and fun as well; although, she had to admit she shared something with Jun Pyo.

"Isn't that a leopard print? Lions don't have spots," she said.

"What? Really?" Jan Di couldn't help it; after her comment and remembering Jun Pyo's _'The early worm dies first'_ saying, she doubled over laughing.

After that incident, the alcohol started to run high. They played "UNO" and "Ubongo" and were all feeling a bit too happy. And inevitably, the mandatory game for a girls' sleepover came up.

"Buckle up, ladies. Next up is Truth or Dare." Jae Kyung set a candle in front of each one of them and dimmed the lights to set the mood. "Sun Mi can explain the rules."

"Yes. So, it is simple. The one at the base of the bottle will ask the question, and the person at the mouth will answer, or do the dare. A person can't have two turns in a row, so if the bottle falls on you again, it has to be spun one more time. No follow-up on questions if the person decides so. You can't refuse the dare."

"Wait," Ga Eul sat with a mimosa, "we can't refuse to do them at all? I don't want to end up naked or something."

"Have you ended up naked in a Truth or Dare game before?" Jae Kyung looked excited.

"No, not me, at least, but I did hear about a dare like that once in college. So I want to know if there are also rules for the dares."

"I don't think we've ever gone for nudity, but we may ask you to sing, do a sexy dance, drink shots, text your ex-"

"Can we skip anything to do with exes?" Sun Mi piped in. Jae Kyung almost hit herself; of course Sun Mi wouldn't like that.

"Yes, sorry. I don't think I'd like that, either. So, let us say we can refuse dares but only if they're completely unreasonable."

"Call!" They all finally said, and the round started.

"When did you have your first French kiss?"

"Biggest lie you told your parents?"

"I dare you to drink three shots of tequila."

"How's your sex life?"

"Dare you to moan like a porn star."

"Ever done it in a public place?"

"Were you ever caught in the act?"

Things were getting heated, and between Ga Eul and Jae Kyung, there was a competition going over who had had the greatest sex ever.

"If I could tell you who it was...It was amazing, Jae Kyung, I almost fainted."

"But Jun does this thing with his-"

"Please, please, _please,_ I don't want to be scarred for life. Stop talking about your sexcapades with Goo Jun Pyo, please?" Jan Di pleaded.

"Okay, alright, but you don't know what you missed!" They all laughed while the bottle spun again, landing on Jan Di. "Great! How many sex partners have you had?"

"Dare."

"Really? That's an easy one…"

"Yeah, dare."

"Okay, I dare you to...belly dance! Do it as if your life depended on it!"

Of course, there were laughs heard round the room while Jan Di attempted and failed to do a Shakira dance. She had no problem with girl group choreos, but to imitate a Latina's flavor took serious effort.

After she finished, between claps and cheers, they realized that all of them were drunk, and it was almost 3AM, time to hit the sack.

Of course, no one was going to sleep in the bed; instead, Jae Kyung had prepared sleeping bags, so it could be a 'real' sleepover.

Jan Di and Ga Eul decided to stay up just a bit longer to drink some water; they didn't want a massive headache the next day.

"I'll go get some ice." While Ga Eul went to the kitchen, Jan Di took out her phone to check on Ji Min once more and for any messages.

Her prince was sleeping, and Ji Hoo had written. He had gotten the pictures of hers and Ji Min's makeover.

 _ **-If I say you look beautiful, are you going to say I'm drunk again?**_

Jan Di stifled a laugh at his text. Incredibly, she remembered when that had happened.

 _ **-I won't this time, unless you're out with F4 again.**_

An answer quickly came, surprising her, for it was very late.

 _ **-I am out with them but not drinking tonight. Will you trust my words this time?**_

She smiled again.

 _ **-Fine, thank you for the compliment. Although, I don't think I'll dress like that everyday.**_

 _ **-You look better in your sweatshirt, anyway. Tell Ji Min he looks very cool.**_

 _ **-Will do. Good night, Ji Hoo.**_

 _ **-See you tomorrow, Jan Di.**_

"All okay?" Ga Eul asked.

"Yeah, just checking on Ji Min." Jan Di put her phone away.

"So…" She gave her a glass.

"So…"

"Did you have fun?"

"I can honestly say this topped any of our parties."

"I concur."

They giggled quietly so as not to disturb the sleeping girls.

"There was something I wanted to ask you, though."

"Yeah?"

"Why did you ask for a dare when Jae Kyung asked you how many people you've slept with? Have there been a lot, huh?" Ga Eul winked. "Come on, tell me the juicy stuff."

"Nothing juicy, besides, would you have answered that?"

"Sure. For me, it's three."

"Wow, ok...I'm not judging; I'm just surprised you told me."

"You're my best friend, even if you were to disappeared for a decade; you're my sister, and it's okay. I can even tell you about a certain F4 and me-"

Jan Di sputtered and almost choked. "What?! What do you mean an F4 and you?!"

"Calm down!" She turned to see if anyone had woken up, but it seemed not. "It was one time, and it was kind of an accident."

"Please, do explain how you end up in bed with an F4 by accident!"

"I'll tell you about it if you answer how many men have been in your life. Come on, it's fun!"

Jan Di sighed. She didn't want to say because it was nothing to be proud of, but she couldn't deny the curiosity running through her head. "Fine, you tell, and I'll tell."

They did the pinky promise hold and drank a bit more water.

"Ok, so. It was like 3 or 4 years ago. I had been dumped...I was so sad, Jan Di-ah, but now I can feel nothing but disgust, ugh. I shouldn't have shed even one tear for that guy." She was remembering the idiot. "He was cheating on me. I caught him in the act, and he simply dumped me. I walked without direction, numb; I was dressed up to the nines for our date, and he had discarded me as nothing."

"Ga Eul-ah…"

"It's okay, really. Someone saved me." She winked. "I ended up crying on some stairs, and out of nowhere, a hand appeared before me. It was...wait, who do you think it was?"

"Don't make me guess!" Jan Di laughed.

"Come on!"

"Okay, Jun Pyo."

"What? No! Eesh, not that he's not handsome but, no, just no. Okay, get ready...It was Woo Bin. Don't yell!" Ga Eul whispered, smiling. She could see Jan Di was shocked. "Yeah, I know, let me finish. He actually crouched down and comforted me, took me to his car, and led me to his house. Once there, I told him what had happened, and Woo Bin said I should simply forget about the jerk and send someone to hit him; he actually offered." She snickered.

"Wow…"

"Yeah. So, he asked for a lot of junk food and drinks to be brought to us. At first, I wasn't drinking, but then I said I wanted to forget, and he said it was cool if I wanted to get drunk, that he had guest rooms to spare."

"I just bet he'd say that." Jan Di snorted.

"He really didn't mean anything. We drank, we talked, and then, somehow, we were kissing. We really can't remember who started it, and he asked me if it was okay. I was angry and drunk and wanted a bit of revenge on the guy who just dumped me. I told Woo Bin that, and he said he was okay with being my 'rebound guy.'"

"Ga Eul!" Jan Di wanted to scold her, but she was actually smiling at her friend's tale.

"Yeah, I mean, I don't speak much English, but I knew what he had said. So, after that, we went to his room and-"

"Say no more. I also consider Woo Bin a brother, so to hear about him doing the nasty with you...ugh." Ga Eul laughed.

"Yeah, I get it. But, he was very sweet and kinda wild. It was my first time doing something like that. I'm sure if I hadn't been drunk, I wouldn't have done it. He told me I could leave anytime I wanted or stop him and he would understand."

" _You can go if you want to."_

" _You don't have to stay."_

Jan Di had a flash of a memory but quickly brushed it away.

"So, you started going out or something?"

"What? No, not at all; I think we both knew it was a one-time thing. But do you know what was the best thing he did? I promise it's not a dirty detail," Ga Eul quickly added at seeing her friend's face. "He woke me up several hours later and took me to a beauty salon, did a 'Pretty Woman' on me and drove me to a club. I didn't know it, but my ex was there, and Woo Bin made a huge spectacle of me being 'his woman.' He actually punched the guy when he tried to grab my arm."

The friends laughed at the tale and made a toast with water.

"We promised we wouldn't tell anyone what happened, but...you're my sister and I know you won't talk about it."

"And you wanted to brag…" Jan Di raised an eyebrow.

"Well, yeah...who am I kidding? I slept with Korea's _Don Juan,_ Jan Di-ah! I deserve the bragging rights!" They both just laughed at it. "Okay, so, I've told my tale; now it's your turn."

Jan Di saw that her friend looked excited, maybe even anticipating some exciting passionate night with an island guy, but she couldn't lie to her.

"One."

"Yeah, just one tale is okay."

"No, I mean one. That's the answer."

"One? You mean you've only been with one person? Omo….Wait…" Jan Di could see her friend realizing what it meant. "Just Ji Min's father?"

"Yeah...after that, there wasn't much time for anything else. When you're a single mother living paycheck to paycheck, sex is the furthest thing from your mind."

"But you told me about this Chul Moo guy, did anything ever happened there? Or with someone else?"

"No. Well...Chul Moo kissed me once."

"I knew it!"

"Don't sing victory yet. He kissed me, but I didn't kissed him back."

"You don't like him?"

"I like him a lot; he's been amazing to me, to Ji Min, to all my family. I just don't see him that way. And the time he did that, Ji Min wasn't even a year old...I was stressed, depressed, and all sorts of hysterical with a new baby."

"But after that?"

"I tried to imagine myself with him, and even though I know he is an amazing person, I just don't love him like that. I told him so, and he said we could be friends."

"I don't know him, but I believe it must be hard to be near you if he still likes you."

"He doesn't like me anymore. There's this girl at the place I work at; they've been very close, and I'm happy for them."

"Well, that's good for him...But Jan Di-ah, so many years and only this one guy? I know you've told me he didn't take advantage of you or anything and that it was consensual, but still...Are you waiting for him to come back?"

"No, I'm not. He didn't know about my pregnancy when he left, and I didn't want to burden him with something he wasn't expecting and most likely didn't want."

"Was it at least good for you?"

Jan Di couldn't help but smile at the memory"It was not what I had imagined, but very nice."

Ga Eul inspected her friend's face and sighed "You're way too good and an idiot. I know you know where he is; if you didn't, you wouldn't talk about him so nicely." Jan Di looked close to tears, so she apologized. "It's your life, and I know you've been a fantastic mother. I only hope that someday you find love again and let it in."

"Thank you."

They hugged and shared a moment in the dark of a luxury hotel window.

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The next day was supposed to be Ji Hoo's day, finally, but Jae Kyung asked him to change it one more time. Because Ga Eul had gone so far as to ask for an anticipated vacation day, she wanted everyone to be present in her day plan.

Ji Hoo had no issues in doing so; he already had everything ready for his day, so just hanging out with everyone didn't sound bad.

The day didn't start as a day per se. Knowing that the girls had stayed up drinking the night away, F4 went early to Ji Min's hotel room to have some breakfast out. And although they had been right about most of them, they found Jan Di already showered, dressed, and about to ask for some breakfast.

"Don't you have a hangover or something?" Jun Pyo asked.

"Living on an island, you learn to hold your own when drinking alcohol. Plus, I'm a mother, so whatever I do, I need to be sharp and up early to take care of Ji Min."

They all remembered Jan Di being a real light-weight when it came to drinking, but it seemed she had overcome that.

"Should we go for some breakfast?" Yi Jung offered, and a more than excited Ji Min went out to greet everyone and hug Ji Hoo

"Hyung-nim! You didn't come yesterday!"

"I'm sorry, Ji Min-ah; I've been busy with work. But we can hang out today with everyone, what do you say?"

"Yeah!"

After sending a text to their respective girlfriends and Jan Di to Ga Eul, the guys took Jan Di to the Executive Lounge of the hotel. Ji Min grabbed both Yi Jung's and Ji Hoo's hands. He liked the art that the first man could do with his hands, and he had missed the second the day before.

When they reached the 23rd floor and Ji Min saw the amazing display of furniture and food, he forgot everything else and started running.

Everyone started running after him, except for Jan Di and Yi Jung. He showed her where they could sit, although Jan Di noticed no one else was there. Another F4 perk, no doubt.

"Ji Min seems to be very attached to Ji Hoo." Yi Jung arranged some fruit on a plate.

Jan Di thought that her son was actually very attached to all the F4, but Yi Jung was kind of right. "Yeah, I've noticed. He's the one who saved him, and Ji Min wouldn't stop talking about it after."

Yi Jung gave her the plate he'd made up and smiled. "Like mother, like son, I suppose."

"Wha-" Jan Di was about to ask what he meant, but he simply went to join the rest of the men.

 _Well, I suppose Ji Hoo did help me a lot when we were in school._ She shook her head and went to sit with the rest, who had all grabbed lots of food from another table.

Ji Min was incredibly happy eating yogurt, pancakes, fruit and cheese buns; besides, he was sitting next to Jun Pyo Hyung, who was dressed nicely.

The table noticed the young man asking a lot of 'business' questions of Jun Pyo and their leader struggling a bit to level it down for the child.

"Did you ever think Jun Pyo would be so good with kids?" Woo Bin asked Yi Jung.

"Never in a million years."

"I knew he was going to be." Jan Di piped in. When the guys looked at her, waiting for the rest, she rolled her eyes. "He always talked about being sorry for breaking a toy of yours, Ji Hoo. He also talked about looking at the stars and later wanting to show them to a son. So, even though he's 'The Great Goo Jun Pyo,' when he has his own children someday, I know they will be spoiled rotten."

They accepted the explanation because they also knew their leader had a creamy candy center, even if he didn't admit it.

"Jan Di-ah, when did you say Ji Min was born again?" Yi Jung suddenly asked her before biting into his toast.

"Huh? Oh, he was born on August 11th."

"2011, right?"

"Yes."

"I think you said he was a little early?"

Jan Di was feeling a bit weird about the questions. "Um...yeah. Premature. He was supposed to come in October. Why?"

"So we can throw him a party, of course!" She snorted. "And also, I was early, too. My mom used to tell me I was very sickly as a kid, and I wanted to know if maybe that's why Ji Min was sick. Ji Hoo told us he came to the city to get better."

"Oh, I didn't know that. He has been very healthy, but he had a cold he couldn't shake off for a long time, so I decided to come here. The city always has better stuff."

"Well, if he ever needs to see a doctor, you'll let us know." Woo Bin stated. He wasn't offering; he was saying. "He's my nephew, so he'll get the best possible attention."

Jan Di smiled and saw that Ji Hoo, Jun Pyo, and Ji Min were listening to the conversation now.

"Thank you, Woo Bin."

"But I like Doctor Araboji." Her son pouted.

"I know, baby, but let us hope you don't have to see him again soon."

"He's okay now?" Ji Hoo asked.

"Yes." Jan Di wanted to tell them what he had, but she had a feeling they would blow it out of proportion. "His cold was so severe, but the doctor gave him some antibiotics, and he's good as new, as you can see."

"Yeah! I'm super strong!" He raised his arms to show his biceps.

They were all talking and sharing stories of when they were younger to make Ji Min laugh when the elevator doors opened, and in came the three remaining ladies of the party.

"Espresso double, toast and orange juice." Jae Kyung groaned while sitting down next to Jun Pyo.

"Spinach with carrots, cereal with milk, and a bar of bitter chocolate...please." Sun Mi complained as well, putting her arms around Ji Hoo.

"Milk? Are you serious?" Ga Eul was looking a bit tired but way better than the other two women.

"For some reason, it helps. Trust me, I've done it before."

"Sun Mi-ssi, I didn't know you were the party girl kind," she joked before leaving to get some of the things she'd asked for, as well as Jun Pyo.

What Ga Eul didn't know was how exact her words had been.

Ha Sun Mi had partied and partied hard. It was a chapter of her past that she'd rather never repeat. Making decisions at 15 years old was never a good choice.

Only two people at the table knew about it; one was Woo Bin, for obvious reasons, and the other was Ji Hoo, because they'd promised each other honesty above everything else.

But, anyway, it was way too early to take a trip down memory lane.

"I know you told me you were going to do a commoner's game day today, Jae, but looking at you, I know you are not up for it right now." Jun Pyo placed in front of her the coffee and toast she had asked for. "So, what do you guys say about the zoo? I was going to do that yesterday, but we got a bit sidetracked."

"A zoo? Omma, a zoo! Can we go, please, please?" Ji Min held up his hands in prayer.

"I don't see why not." She smiled.

Ji Min gave a huge yell and ran to hug Jun Pyo and thank him for the idea. Then he went to pull on everybody's hands to quickly get them up and going.

"Wait a second, Ji Min-ah. Are we all coming, or does someone have to work?" Jun Pyo saw everyone saying they were ok, and they agreed to meet in an hour to get dressed in more comfortable clothes.

"Jan Di-ah, don't forget the new clothes you got and the hair products I gave you yesterday, okay?" Jae Kyung offered as her goodbye before grabbing onto Jun Pyo's arm for stability.

"Where are we going, Jun Pyo?" Ji Hoo was piggybacking Sun Mi.

"To Seoul Grand Park. I was planning to take the helicopter but seeing how the girls are not feeling well, we'll go by car. It'll take about an hour to get there."

"Yes, that will be great. They need some rest." He moved his head to point out Jae Kyung and Sun Mi.

"Jan Di-ah. Both of you change, get the things you need, and then go down to the lobby. I'll leave a driver here to get you to Ji Hoo's house. That's our meeting point." Jan Di thanked them, and they all stepped into the elevator. She got out first, of course, and had to kinda pry Ji Min from Jun Pyo's leg.

"It's okay. We're just going to change and get some things packed before we go to the zoo, okay?"

"But we are going, right?" Ji Min wanted a clear confirmation. The zoo was a place he'd always dreamed of going to...like the cinema.

"Yes, we are going."

"Yeah!"

* * *

 **I hope you liked it! I have a huge writers block for a long time for this one chapter too.**

 **Remember to check the Pinterest board! I updated it =)**  
 **www. pinterest nerwentasartir /part-of-me / (Delete the spaces)**

 _ **Coming up in Part of Me:**_

The gang goes to the zoo and, even though it had been years, Jan Di still remembers certain name. A game of charades lets the rest know the strength of one of the couples and they all want to beat them. Will Ji Hoo finally reveal why he took so much time to prepare for his day?


	9. Music makes people come together

**I live!**

 **Yes, I am alive. How have you all been? How is the quarantine treating you? Down here in Peru it has been crazy with lots of rules but I hope that all of you, your families and loved ones are safe and healthy.**

 **I'm back! With a new chapter and Ji Hoo's day, finally! I know some of you wrote me asking me 'Hey, it's quarantine time, aren't you writing?' Because, of course, I've seen a lot of writers seizing the day and updating more often. I'm sorry for not doing the same. I was lucky enough that I managed to keep my job and working at home with a toddler is very, very hard. I'm trying my best to keep up with my mommy duties, my job and my fanfiction hobby.**

 **I really hope you enjoy this chapter, it's the longest so far! I was surprised by that!**

 **Apologies beforehand because I have used some Chinese and music terminology that I really don't know if it's completely accurate but I tried my best. Suggestions and critics are well received!**

 **Also, I updated the Pinterest board and there was a song I wasn't able to procure a video with English subtitles, I'm sorry. If you wish, you can look for the '4 men - Love is' English lyrics online so as to have a better idea of the song. It's very fitting for later on.**

 **++As always, a huge virtual hug to JHsgf82 for being my editor and my friend. Love you!++**

 _ **Previously on Part of Me:**_ _The girls enjoyed a girl's night and some secrets were shared between Ga Eul and Jan Di. At breakfast, Jun Pyo suggested going to the zoo and Ji Min is excited to go. Everyone is going to freshen up to meet at Ji Hoo's._

* * *

Of course, Jan Di and Ji Min were ready in less than 10 minutes.

Going down to meet the driver, she listened to her son talking endlessly about how he wanted to see a lion and a wolf. She didn't know if the zoo they were going to would have those two animals, but, being an F4 outing, she wouldn't be surprised if they had rented out the whole place.

They soon arrived at Ji Hoo's house. The driver opened the door for them as well as escorted Jan Di and Ji Min to the door.

Once inside, they went to the living room and waited.

"Omma, where's Hyung-nim?"

"I don't know, but he'll probably be here soon."

"Talk about the devil and he doth appear," a voice came from behind them. Ji Min ran to Ji Hoo, and the man quickly scooped him up and carried him as a traveling bag. Of course, the child enjoyed it immensely. "Are you hungry?" He looked at Jan Di.

"We just had breakfast" was the obvious answer, but Ji Hoo looked at her and raised a brow. "I can still eat a lot, but I'm okay right now, thanks." She rolled her eyes and smiled. He simply laughed and plopped down on his sofa with Ji Min.

"Hyung-nim, we're really going to the zoo, right?" He nodded. "When are the rest of the hyungs coming? I want to go!"

"I'm sure they'll be here soon."

"Where's Sun Mi-ssi?" Jan Di looked around.

"She needed to rest, so I told her to take a nap. I know the guys will probably take at least thirty more minutes."

"Oh! Ji Min, don't go yelling again. Okay, love? Sun Mi-ssi is sleeping." Her son did a signature of zipping his lips and throwing away the key.

"Can I read my picture book?" he asked. But Jan Di hadn't brought it, thinking it might be in the way more than anything, so Ji Hoo offered his huge TV with endless channels, and they looked for something Ji Min could watch.

Once he was enthralled by a movie, Ji Hoo sat in front of Jan Di.

"You put doors on your room."

"Yeah, but only a couple of years ago. I felt like changing the decor a bit, but as you can see, it hasn't changed much."

"Well, the new furniture looks great, but I see you kept the old couch. Can't help falling asleep there, even though this is your house and you have a bed to rest in?" He simply shrugged.

"So, Jan Di-ah...have you given any thought to how often you might be able to visit?"

"Um...not exactly. It's not easy to simply leave for the weekend. Taking into account how much it takes to get here, we might only get a day."

"Jun Pyo already said he would send whatever means of transportation needed for that, so rest assured. Is there something else?"

He hadn't changed the tone of his voice, but she knew what Ji Hoo was trying to do.

"There are times that I work on Saturdays, so I won't be able to come every weekend." At this, he said nothing. She knew he wouldn't interfere with her way of earning her meals for her and for her son.

"What is it that you do exactly?"

"I'm a cashier at a family diner. Although, I also use some of my skills for inventory, and that earns me a bonus from time to time."

"What if you could get a different job?"

"A better job, you mean?" Ji Hoo blinked in acquiescence. "That's the best job in the place."

A silence stretched for a minute or two before he spoke again.

"You know we are trying to bring you back, don't you?"

"I do."

"Then, maybe this time, could you please try not to be your prideful/stubborn self?"

Jan Di fought, she really did, but she couldn't help but smile. _"I am that I am."_

"Do not try to use the scriptures here. We both know neither of us is very religious." Ji Hoo smirked, and she laughed.

They both lay the matter to rest, though they also knew it was a pause, not the end of it.

As Ji Hoo had said, the gang started to appear bit by bit. He went to wake Sun Mi up when Jae Kyung arrived and they were then only waiting for Yi Jung and Woo Bin.

While they shared last night's occurrences, without revealing, of course, the answers from the Truth or Dare game, they sipped on tea and some crackers that Sun Mi had prepared.

"Omma, I need to go to the bathroom." Ji Min was kind of jumping in place, the urgency clear in his face.

"You held it in until you couldn't take it anymore, Ji Min-ah! Come, come, come, come, quickly, go!"

They watched both of them disappear from sight and took advantage of it to ask Ji Hoo if he had had any success in convincing her to come back.

"It's going to be a long process, that much I can tell you."

"How long are we talking about here? We're estimating six months, and that's the worst case scenario," Jun Pyo offered.

"Do you remember how she was when we were in school?" Ji Hoo saw his friend sulking. "It's going to happen, but we need to tread carefully."

"But, if she doesn't want to come back, then what are you going to do? Force her?" They all turned to Sun Mi when she asked this. "I'm sorry, but she doesn't seem too keen on the idea of coming back."

"Short of kidnapping her, we'll try everything we can." That voice belonged to Woo Bin, who had come in at just the right moment.

"Jan Di is our friend. She has talent; she's smart, and with our help, she might even go to college to get a degree in whatever career she wants," Ji Hoo said to Woo Bin and Jun Pyo.

"We all know this, man. Don't worry. She'll get to live up to her potential."

"And you know any of us would do the same for you, Sun Mi, or Jae Kyung if you needed it." Jun Pyo put an arm around his girlfriend's shoulders.

Sun Mi observed the people in front of her, and even Jae Kyung seemed excited. She, on the other hand, was once again curious. Ji Hoo had told her they'd known Jan Di for three months at most, and here they were, almost 10 years later, plotting to bring her back, even if she didn't want to.

"Sorry for the delay!" The conversation subject returned with Ji Min in her arms, though she was panting a bit. "And sorry, Ji Hoo, but Ji Min wanted to eat something, so I grabbed some fruit from your kitchen."

"Eat anything you want, Ji Min-ah."

Jan Di asked her son to go back to his movie. He now held a plate with apple cut in square pieces. However, instead of going back to the TV, he went to sit next to Jae Kyung.

"Hi, noona. You look very pretty today."

"Ji Min-ah!" She hugged him. "Jan Di, you'll need an army when he grows up."

"Please, don't remind me that my son is growing leaps and bounds each time he breathes; it's very hard to hear."

"Did you find your way okay?" Sun Mi asked.

"Yes, thank you." Jan Di sat on the only available sofa and watched Ji Min interact with Jae Kyung with a smile on his face. Not that there weren't beautiful women in the village, but it was hard to maintain your beauty routine when you were working from daybreak to sunset to feed your family, and Jae Kyung 'smelled nice, dressed in pretty clothes, and always smiled,' according to her son. She suspected he might have a bit of a crush on her.

While Jan Di was thinking about her son, Sun Mi was thinking about Jan Di.

She felt she might be a little paranoid, but Jan Di had simply taken her son and strolled through the house without even an 'Oh, where's your bathroom?' She had also gone to the kitchen, gotten a plate, a knife and most likely a cutting board to prepare the apple for Ji Min. How did she know where to find all that?

Sun Mi tried to rationalize her thoughts. She knew they had been friends, and Ji Hoo's friends, aka F4, always came to his house and hung around because his was the only place parents and staff-free. So, she presumed that Jan Di might also have been part of that group.

 _Right, she must have spent time here, too, with the rest of the guys; thus, it's obvious she knows where to find things. Jae Kyung-unnie also knew where the bathroom, kitchen and library were before I came here._

Happy with this logical explanation and laughing at herself for feeling jealous when there was nothing to feel jealous about, she joined the conversation again.

Yi Jung arrived a few minutes later, followed by Ga Eul, and they all got into a luxury Mercedes Benz van. It was spacious enough for everyone, and they all enjoyed conversation, songs, and even a dance from Ji Min. He liked SHINee a lot, and Jan Di had managed to get some old discs of the group back on the island; she'd have to see if maybe she could get something more recent.

An hour later, they were all standing before the entrance of Seoul Grand Park. Jan Di was amazed at how big it looked, and she was sure that it must be bigger than what her mind had come up with.

"This is a zoo?" she asked out loud.

"Well, Seoul Grand Park's major attractions include Seoul Grand Park Zoo, the children's zoo, a rose garden, Seoulland Amusement Park, and the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Gwancheon," Ji Hoo said.

"I'm not saying I'm not liking it-"

"But you wonder if we are able to do anything on a smaller scale."

"To be honest, yeah."

"Get used to it."

"I couldn't all those years ago."

"Because we roughly spent three months together. It'll be different once you live here."

"Awfully confident about that, aren't you?"

"Only because I know I have a guilt card to hold over you."

Jan Di was shocked at this Ji Hoo, more confident and adult, though in a good way. "Who are you and what have you done with my sunbae?"

Both of them laughed, and the rest of F4 bumped fists, knowing they were on a good track for bringing their friend back.

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After reaching the entrance of the zoo, the group quickly agreed that the best course to take was the Tiger Road. This would allow Ji Min to see all the wild animals he hoped to: Tigers, cheetahs, zebras, pumas, crocodiles, and of course, the much anticipated King of the Jungle, the lion.

Even though Jan Di tried to avoid it, Ji Min was getting something new at almost every corner: a pair of binoculars, a hat, some candies, an ice cream, a shirt from the site, cotton candy...she didn't know if he was going to be able to eat it all, but his 'uncles' couldn't be denied. Still, she was having a great time watching her son having fun.

They went, first, for the giraffes and proceeded to the hippos, which were huge and slow, though the sign read that this was the world's deadliest large land mammal. That, alone, made the girls happy to be on the other side of the fence.

Jun Pyo told the group the lion would be right after the orangutans, so the group gathered to drink some water, get their cameras ready, and rest for a couple of minutes. The total view time along Tiger Road was approximately two hours, and they were about to reach the first animal. Ji Min, being a total trooper, had walked the whole time without complaint, but the guys could see he was starting to get tired. So, right before they reached the lion's space, Yi Jung hoisted Ji Min up and put him on Jun Pyo's shoulders.

"How's the view up there, Ji Min-ah?" Jae Kyung asked.

"It's amazing! I'm so tall! Look, Omma. I'm super tall."

"I can see that, love." Jan Di smiled at her son. She was about to ask Jun Pyo if he was okay with it when Yi Jung and Ji Hoo held her back.

"We'll take turns carrying him when he's tired, it's okay." Yi Jung said.

Seeing that there was no room for discussion, Jan Di agreed with a smile.

To say her son was excited to see the lions was an understatement, but the funny thing was, the felines were all sleeping away as if there was nothing more important than that. Obviously, this didn't deter Ji Min's excitement, and he roared out loud along with Woo Bin and Yi Jung. Jae Kyung told Sun Mi they should roar too, and to the surprise of all present, Ji Hoo included, his girlfriend did her best.

A lioness lazily lifted her head and looked at the group, only to lay right back down to nap, uninterested. But this was enough to make Ji Min satisfied with his visit.

"Let's go check the carnivore enclosure; there is a tiger there." Ji Min immediately agreed with Jun Pyo, and on the excursion went.

"I want kids, someday." Jae Kyung made the comment while walking with Jan Di, Ga Eul and Sun Mi, behind the guys. "Like, a bunch. Maybe five."

"Five! Wow, I admire you." Jan Di's eyebrows almost disappeared behind her fringe. With the makeover, it seemed as if she didn't have any, but it was now shorter and she was able to swipe it aside if needed with a bit of hair gel.

"Well, I'll start with one, and then I'll see."

"That sounds like a good plan."

"Is it difficult?" Jae Kyung had been wanting to ask because Ji Min really looked like a great kid and was very well behaved.

"Nothing can prepare you for motherhood. I think the only person who actually told me how awful things could get was my mother."

"Awful?"

"Yes." Jan Di saw Jae Kyung was still looking at her, so she tried to construct the idea around something she might understand. "Imagine that your liberty gets taken away one day. You won't be able to see your friends, watch your TV shows, go to the movies, be tired, get sick, do-"

"Get sick?"

"Your child won't know or care that you are sick. They want mom all day, everyday. You're their safe port, their source of toys and food."

"I can attest to that," Ga Eul chimed in. "I've seen mothers leaving their kids at the daycare for most of the day because they were sick, but still, they had to pick them up and tend to them until bedtime, even though they felt like dying. And they can love the teachers all they want, but when they see 'Omma', they forget about everything else."

"Wow. That's...scary."

"Tell me about it." Jan Di continued. "You're signing up for a 24/7 job that offers no vacations, no sick days, and no pay. You'll lose sleep, and you'll worry about them every minute of their lives. That saying, 'It'll get better when he's older'? A lie. First you're scared they're going to stop breathing when they're newborns; then, it's about whether they're feeding enough, if his head will stay up while he crawls; if now that he walks, he won't bump into things; if now that he runs, he won't run into the street...When he's a teenager, I'll worry about how late he stays out and what type of girl will capture his heart, because I know I don't want him to go through heartache, but I also know that it's impossible to mature without it."

The group stayed quiet for a little bit, processing the information they had just gotten.

"Somehow, I feel like I should call my mom..." Jae Kyung was suddenly thinking about all the things she had done in the past to make her mother worry.

"I know the feeling. After I gave birth to Ji Min, I apologized to my mother for all the crappy things I might have done, times I stayed out without telling her or simply for disrespecting her. You don't know how it feels until you have a child of your own."

"Let us hope they don't do what we did, huh?" Ga Eul bumped shoulders with Jan Di, and they both laughed.

Sun Mi had been silent the whole time, but she knew what Jan Di was talking about. She, more than anyone, understood the pain and the worry she had made her parents go through.

* * *

At 15 years old, she had been offered a full-ride scholarship to a prestigious school in Italy. Her mother, of course, had been worried about it, but Sun Mi was supposed to stay in the dorms, had an older tutor to guide her, and wouldn't be allowed out of the school after her curfew. It might have seemed too strict, but she was only fifteen, so she said yes. She was simply excited to go and be alone for once. Sun Mi loved her parents, but she had always lived with the pressure of being a proper lady, to never dishonor the family's name, to be quiet, poised, educated. She was at the height of her teenage years, and to know she was going to be able to spread her wings made her accept the offer immediately.

The first six months were great. Sun Mi had made friends, went to a few parties, socialized with a different culture and fell in love with it. She was a good student, friend, and overall, a nice girl. Italian boys quickly fell into step with her in the hallways, trying to help her in a study session or asking her out to dinner, always saying they didn't believe she was fifteen, that she looked way more mature for her age. Sun Mi loved the praise and lost herself in it. The 'older' tutor was actually a girl just a couple of years ahead of her that loved a good party and wine. She took Sun Mi under her wing and took her to all the 'cool' places, so she could 'live a little', and the old story happened.

Girl meets older guy, guy tells her he loves her, girl believes it and falls into his bed, and guy suddenly gets amnesia and doesn't remember her.

Sun Mi cried so much; she had felt truly in love, but as soon as Luca had taken her virginity, he went to goad about it to his friends, and she passed through the worst embarrassment of her short life to date.

The older girls cheered her up, saying he was not worth it, that there were plenty fish in the sea, and that they'd introduce her to new guys. So, at her sixteenth birthday, after a video call with her parents, she let her friends doll her up: Clothes, makeup, perfume, shoes. That's when everything started to go wrong.

The first time she woke up next to a guy she didn't even remember meeting the previous night, she freaked out, and her friends laughed and congratulated her. 'We've all been through that'. 'It's a rite of passage.' 'You did good. He was hot.' If they did it, and thought it was fine, maybe it was. Korean culture was the uptight one; her parents didn't understand her need for freedom, and everything she'd ever learned before that had been wrong.

Drugs, sex, alcohol...you name it, she had tried it. Almost died a couple of times, too.

Her parents had realized something was wrong with Sun Mi and went to get her immediately, only to be horrified at the sight before them: Their young daughter, no longer in the school, sleeping on the floor of whatever house held the party the night before.

Being a minor, she had no choice but to follow them back to her country. Obviously, Sun Mi didn't make it easy on them. She cried, kicked, screamed, and insulted the two people who had gifted her life for trying to help her.

The recovery was slow, painful, and mind-blowing. It had been in the Rehab institution that she met Woo Bin for the first time. He had been there with Yi Jung, the latter was visiting his father for updates. Sun Mi saw him, liked him, and put the moves on him. No matter that she was in hospital garb, she could still rock it. Unmistakably, she failed. Woo Bin laughed at her advances and told her to 'grow up' and 'come back when you're a woman.' 'I'm not interested in brats,' he'd said.

She had been 17.

The drug rehab program took her nearly eight months to complete, but she would forever be grateful to the institution and to her parents.

Soon enough after her release, Sun Mi found out who Woo Bin was on the news. She regretted what she had done. Of course, Prince Song had women to spare; however, he had a kind heart and an honest streak that left her baffled. This was a fact she had come to know after meeting him again on a night the Heo family and the Song family went for dinner. Turned out the families went way back, but communication had been bleak the last few years. No doubt, because of her.

Woo Bin listened to her, never judged, and told her he was proud to meet someone so strong. He never told anyone about her time in the institution, not even Yi Jung. A couple of months after that dinner, she was introduced to the F4, and he'd simply said, 'She's Heo Sun Mi, a friend. Treat her well.'

Her life had done a 180°. Sun Mi had been dragged out of a hell pit to the light again. She was now a well-known young woman, a lady, down to earth, mature, polite, graceful and kind. She had good friends, an amazing boyfriend, and loving parents.

She still had mental voids about her time in Italy, and quite frankly, she would be happy if her brain could completely forget it; although, at the same time, she believed those memories were a good reminder of what she should never do again, and for her children, when she had them in the future.

* * *

And so, Jan Di's words were not foreign to her. Sun Mi's mother had been her rock, staying with her through pain, tears and sickness.

Jae Kyung knew a bit of her past with guys due to an unfortunate encounter with a previous fling. But, of course, her friend had been quick to defend her and not judge her, telling Sun Mi her past was her own, and the Sun Mi she saw before her was the one she loved.

She had told the truth to Ji Hoo as well; she hadn't wanted to lie to him, so with great shame, she revealed almost all of her past. Her boyfriend had been understanding, his words similar to those of Jae Kyung. Ji Hoo trusted her and cared for her, and he had said so that night, when he went to accept her confession. Sun Mi really thought she was the luckiest person in the world for having people so understanding of her.

She also admitted she admired Jan Di. In Italy, she had met lots of girls who were her age or a bit younger who had a baby or were pregnant, and not with their first child. Of course, in the circle she used to be in, the title of 'mother' couldn't be easily given to them, and having an addiction like she had had with drugs, made it all the more difficult. Remembering made tears come to her eyes sometimes, thinking of the innocence of the little lives brought into this world, only to be an afterthought.

But here was Geum Jan Di, a girl who was two years her senior with an eight-year-old boy who was sweet and well behaved. It couldn't have been easy, and she had heard that first night she met her, what F4 discussed, about wanting to bring her back and also find the father of Ji Min, to hold him accountable for leaving them behind.

F4 could be rough, immature, and sometimes narcissistic, but they loved hard and fiercely. She was glad to be part of the group, which, actually, was already reaching the next cage.

They had gone to see the Siberian tigers, which left everyone in the group in awe of the majestic beauty of the strong animal. There were two awake, playing with car tires as if they were mere toys. After snapping a few pictures and roaring again, they moved forward. Although now, the animals were much smaller. Sun Mi stopped to look at the fox; she saw him quickly running around, just enjoying the weather. Then she turned around to find Ji Hoo, and she saw him looking down into a different cage. When she came closer, she noticed they were otters.

She immediately smiled. They were swimming, and there were even a couple that seemed to be bathing together. About to ask Ji Hoo if he liked them as well, she saw him whirl around, and then he raised his voice. "Little Otter!" he called.

And Jan Di turned around.

"Omo! How is it that you still remember that?" She came up with a mock scolding expression on her face.

"Hey, you were the one who turned around." Ji Hoo said, tucking his hands in his pockets. "Check it out, there you are." He tilted his head to the cage.

Sun Mi saw Jan Di gush at the little animals with a joyful expression. She was actually dying to ask what this 'Little Otter' thing was about, but thought it best to wait. Thankfully, someone seemed to be as curious as her.

"What's with the name?" called Jun Pyo. He had left Ji Min on Yi Jung's shoulders this time.

"Inside joke," Ji Hoo and Jan Di replied at the same time. Jun Pyo made an unimpressed face and checked the cage as well.

Watching Ji Hoo move to the fox now, Sun Mi thought that asking wouldn't seem weird.

"Inside joke?"

"I used to call Jan Di an otter."

 _Thank you Captain Obvious,_ she thought but reined in her temper. "How so?"

"Because she's small and cu-can build things out of nowhere. She's kinda crafty." Ji Hoo caught his tongue before he called Jan Di 'cute.' It was an inside joke between them, and he didn't want to reveal the memory of the first time he'd called her that.

They had been on their way home, sitting down in front of the lake she liked so much after a fight with her mother. She had been sulking and, quite possibly, about to cry, so Ji Hoo looked for anything to tell her to cheer her up, and he ended up saying she had probably been an otter in her past life. Jan Di got that confused look Ji Hoo loved so much, and so, he explained why: She was calm around water, an excellent swimmer, and also small and cute like the little mammals. This earned him a smile, the first real one she'd given him that afternoon. And the name stuck; she was an otter‒he added the 'little' just because she hated when he teased her about her height.

Sun Mi wasn't entirely convinced but let it go. Ji Hoo didn't seem to pay much attention to it, same as Jan Di, so maybe it really was an innocent joke. Resuming their path, the group went on to finish the Tiger trail.

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"Ji Min-ah, are you sure you're feeling okay?" Her son had been coughing a bit after running around the zoo's playground.

"I'm okay, Omma. I just wanted some juice. My throat was dry."

"You're taking a warm bath and going straight to bed tonight."

"Is everything okay?" Ji Hoo approached Jan Di, who was crouched down to Ji Min's eye level.

"Yeah, he just ran a lot and needed something to drink."

Jan Di didn't want the guys to worry.

Truth was, she had taken Ji Min to the city because of a very nasty cold that wouldn't leave him, only to find out it was pneumonia. Good thing was, Ji Min quickly recovered after being administered the correct medicine and getting lots of rest. The day Ji Hoo found Ji Min, they were going for a check-up and then to finally enjoy a bit of the city before having to return the next day.

Jan Di was sure that if she told F4 the real diagnosis of her son, they would ship him off to Europe, to the best possible doctors, and that's why she kept quiet. Ji Min was well, and he'd had a blast the past few days. Although he coughed a bit, he now seemed to be alright again. She was just worrying too much.

"We could take him to a doctor if you want."

"It's okay, he's fine. If he shows any symptoms, or I think he's ill, I'll let you know immediately. That okay?" Ji Hoo nodded

"Tomorrow is my day, so we'll start at 11am. I think that'll allow you both some time to rest well. Should I pick you up?"

"Sure. Are the guys coming tomorrow?" She stood up and let Ji Min run towards Jun Pyo and Jae Kyung, the latter happy that Jan Di's son liked her so much.

"Probably yes, but later." Ji Hoo put his hands in his pockets and looked over, to where Ji Min was having fun with the guys. They went to join the group. "He's an amazing kid. I always knew you would make a great mother."

"Always?"

"Yeah. You took care of your brother as if he was your own; you mothered us back in college, and you have this caring side to you."

Jan Di felt warm inside and out at his words. Back home, she was one of the many young mothers on the island, and it was expected of her to take care of her son, but here in the city, her friends praised her for how well-behaved Ji Min was and what a great mother she was.

"Thank you, Ji Hoo-ah."

He just looked at her and smiled, and she did the same.

"Hey, you two, we're trying to decide where to go next, so come here." Yi Jung waved them over, and they both took a few steps more toward reaching their group.

"So, we were thinking karaoke."

"I don't know if I have the strength to go to karaoke. And I really hope you guys don't transform the room next door into a club." By their faces, Jan Di knew they would've.

"How about some normal games?" Ga Eul offered "Pictionary, charades, UNO…"

"I like that!" Jae Kyung was excited to try some new games. The night before she had had lots of fun with Jan Di and Ga Eul, and the games they came up with were something she'd never tried before, so she was in.

"I don't see why not. I've always wanted to see how the commoner side have fun when there's nothing else to do," Woo Bin said.

"I'll have you know, Prince Song, that we commoners know how to have the best fun." Ga Eul put her hands on her hips and cocked her head.

"That, I believe, Chu Ga Eul-ssi." He smirked, and Jan Di knew that even if Ga Eul said it had been one time, there was some weird banter going on that her friend hadn't told her about.

After sharing with everyone what they were planning, the group agreed, and they split up to rest, have a needed shower, and have some dinner.

Jan Di made good on her word and drew a very warm bath for Ji Min. She dried his hair with the hotel hairdryer and put him in a cozy new set of pajamas, courtesy of F4.

"I want to play too, Omma." Jan Di chuckled because even as Ji Min was saying that, he was yawning and rubbing his eyes. He was just minutes away from passing out on the huge, white bed.

"Well, what do you say we lie down for five minutes? Omma wants to rest, too, just a little bit. After five minutes we'll wake up and go next door to play with your uncles, okay?"

"Yeah!"

"But, if you fall asleep, then I'll let you rest."

"I'm not tired, Omma!"

Of course, after not even two minutes, Ji Min was softly snoring while hugging his puppy plush toy.

Jan Di seized the time to tidy up her things a little bit, though the hotel personnel really kept everything clean, even cleaning their clothes from the very same day.

After a very relaxing shower, she dressed in a pair of black leggings, a black tee, and a grey sweatshirt‒being comfortable was her goal.

After setting up the video baby monitor Jae Kyung had gotten her and verifying the phone app, she kissed her little man and went into the next room.

Most of the group was already there, and it had the feel of a teenage party: There were snacks all over the place, sodas, beverages, a huge, new green carpet on the floor, and a lot of bean bags, cushions and pillows around. No question about it, Jae Kyung had a hand in the decor.

"Care for a drink?" Yi Jung offered her a glass, and she accepted.

"Huge display."

"Yeah, we don't want to say it aloud, but we're kinda excited to play some commoner games."

"You're in for a surprise, rich boy. We'll wipe the floor with you." They laughed and welcomed Jun Pyo and Woo Bin, who were the last to arrive.

Everyone took a bowl of their preferred snack or food and a glass, then sat down for the round of charades.

Two teams were going to fight it out in a charades competition. Winner had to win 3 out of 5. So far, Woo Bin's team-Yi Jung, Ga Eul and Jun Pyo-were winning, with 2 out of 5 in their favor. Jae Kyung's team-Ji Hoo, Sun Mi and Jan Di-wasn't having much luck. And now, it was Jan Di's turn.

"Okay, so we have...movies!" Ga Eul announced.

"I don't know that many movies," her friend whined.

"They're supposed to be the popular ones. Okay, ready? 3, 2, 1, begin!"

JD: "It's a man that dresses in black, a vigilante, deep voice…"

SM: "Batman!"

JD: "We come to life when nobody's watching and we love our boy."

JK: "Toy Story!"

JD: "My parents forgot me on Christmas."

SM: "Home Alone!"

They were rocking it; they were up to 10 movies and counting, but after those first 10, the movies were getting more and more difficult. Jan Di had declined 3 in 5 seconds. But then, she saw a name she recognized.

"I'm a blind girl that belongs to a secret female organization and knows martial arts." Silence. She thought Ji Hoo would remember. But when she tried to tell him, the opponents made her remember the rules. Jan Di could've declined it again, but she knew this one, so she wanted to get it right.

"Okay, how about this?" She thought the song would maybe stir his memory " _Běi fāng yǒu jiā rén-_ "

"House of Flying Daggers!" Ji Hoo yelled.

"Yes!"

The alarm sounded, signaling the end of their turn, but they had managed to guess 15 movies in their round, putting them 2 to 1.

Jan Di went to hug Ji Hoo and then Jae Kyung, but she was a bit surprised at her. "What is it?" Jan Di asked.

"You know Chinese."

"I do." She smiled and realized that, in that room, only Ji Hoo, Woo Bin and Ga Eul knew about it.

"How is it that you always have something that surprises us, even after all these years, Jan Di-ah? And how come you are not surprised?" Yi Jung asked Woo Bin.

"It was a Saturday, I think, that I found her in our lounge, and she was alone watching a drama. Said she had gone because she had nothing better to do. I realized it was a Chinese drama without subtitles."

"Oh, you loved that drama," she said. "Admit it. I bet you still know the intro song."

"Please, think of my reputation before saying things like that, Jan Di-ah."

"How do you know Chinese?" Jun Pyo asked.

"My maternal grandmother. She was the only grandparent I met, and she was half Korean, half Chinese. I loved her very much, she talked to me only in Chinese in the hopes I would learn it, and I did." She shrugged.

"It is very good. But how do you practice it?" Sun Mi went to stand next to Ji Hoo.

"My _wài pó_ died when I was twelve, so I had lots of practice, and then just songs and the like. But I haven't had a practice partner in years."

"I learned," Ji Hoo told Jan Di.

"You did?" When Ji Hoo found out she had known the language, he had wanted to learn, too. Surprisingly, he knew English, French, and Italian but had never learned Chinese."

" _Wǒ huāle jǐ nián shíjiān._ "

" _Bù xiāngxìn nǐ_." They both laughed, and actually, Woo Bin laughed, too.

"Well, that's enough of that. We still have to win this thing."

Unfortunately, they weren't able to win. But they still had fun.

The next game was Twister, and it was a joy witnessing Jun Pyo trying to escape from the flirty hands of his girlfriend while they were playing. Jan Di noticed he wasn't too comfortable with public displays of affection, but also that he was happy with Jae Kyung. Yi Jung was a different story; he was the one flirting with her when it was their turn, which she obviously dismissed.

"I can't believe you're the only one inmune to me."

"Get used to it; it'll start to happen more often as you get older." Jan Di winked.

"Yah!"

Woo Bin and Sun Mi were definitely friends; you could see the banter, and Sun Mi dished as good as she got, and Prince Song had a good time.

When the game got down to Ga Eul and Ji Hoo, though, neither of them were relenting. Both of them were holding onto their weird and definitely-not-easy-to-hold poses.

"Ga Eul-ssi, you're starting to tremble."

"Funny you noticed after shaking like a leaf yourself for the past couple of minutes."

"You wish."

Those two were a weird combo; no one could have predicted they would be so competitive, but in the end, Ji Hoo won. Although, he admitted Ga Eul had been a very difficult opponent.

Everyone decided a 10-minute rest was necessary.

Now, according to elimination, Jun Pyo was to go against Jan Di, and Sun Mi would go against Ji Hoo.

"Let us hope the weight of your hair doesn't bring you down," Jan Di joked.

"Ha! You're just scared, laundry girl."

The battle was fierce, and Jun Pyo was throwing around loud exclamations about it not being fair when he got all the hard positions. Jan Di had been lucky, being able to squat nearly the entire time for an easy win.

As for Sun Mi and Ji Hoo, that took longer. She was a yoga expert, and he trained regularly. Ji Hoo got lucky, though, because Sun Mi got a cramp and couldn't go on.

After everyone made sure she was okay and she was given a warm towel for her calf, they resumed the final game.

Jan Di vs. Ji Hoo.

Neither was giving the other even an inch, and at one point, Jan Di ended up with both hands behind her and her legs extended, which wasn't an easy position. She was getting tired, but she was stubborn. Ji Hoo knew this. He was also tired, and quickly reaching his breaking point, but neither of them would willingly stop the game.

He looked at her, and after a few seconds, she understood what he was asking.

"Gun-ma-ri-gi," she said.

"Two out of three," he answered.

"What are you talking about?" Jun Pyo asked.

"Just give us a word, Jun Pyo-ah," his friends answered.

His friend looked perplexed, so Jan Di turned to Ga Eul. She chose 'Bamboo'.

They all were then witness to a spectacle. Each person on the Twister mat was saying words that started with the last syllable of the previous word.

Jan Di won the first round, but surprisingly, lost the second fairly quickly. She couldn't come up with a word.

"Chance, I haven't used my chance for help," Jan Di pleaded, but Ji Hoo wasn't having it.

"We voided that rule when you tried to get a dictionary. You got your five seconds. My win."

"Ugh, fine! Final word."

This final round was the hardest; they were both fast with it, and everyone was excitedly watching.

Ji Hoo mentioned the name of a mountain, and Jan Di called fault.

"No places."

"Damn it...Path."

"Duty."

Ji Hoo had a blank look on his face; he felt his muscles tingling under his shirt, and his brain wasn't coming up with anything. Jan Di started the countdown from 5, 4, 3, 2, 1…

"I win!" She let herself fall on her back, and Ji Hoo broke his position from the mat. Everyone clapped and laughed at their friends, who looked like a pair of newborn calves.

"I don't think I can get up." Jan Di laughed, and Ji Hoo chuckled because, quite frankly, he couldn't either.

"Let's just stay down." Ji Hoo suggested.

"Let's," she agreed.

So, they both lay there on the floor without a care in the world, breathing hard, and complaining about their sore joints.

"Okay, Jan Di wins, let's go get something to drink and then come back for the corpses," Woo Bin said.

"Yah! If I wasn't so hurt, I would hurt you!" Jan Di tried to move her arm to catch Woo Bin's ankle but failed.

"Get your revenge later," Ji Hoo told her.

"Help me?"

"You know it." He raised his fist, and Jan Di bumped hers to his, sealing the promise.

"Are you okay?" Sun Mi crouched down next to Ji Hoo with some water.

"Yeah, just tired as hell. All the women I faced off against today are tough." He raised his hand to brush some of her hair behind her ear and smiled. His girlfriend smiled back.

"Are you okay, Jan Di-ssi?" she then asked.

"Just peachy." Jan Di quickly clapped her hand over her mouth and blushed. How had she just said that?

Ji Hoo broke down in laughter, grabbing his belly and rolling to his side. Jan Di joined in after a few seconds, also laughing hard.

"Um...are you okay?" Sun Mi didn't know what was happening.

"Jan Di used to say that when she was very tired but didn't want to admit it." Of course, Ji Hoo knew why Jan Di had blushed. Such a simple statement had connotations that neither of them wanted to reveal to their group. Like the 'Otter' nickname, it was between them and in the past, and this particular inside remark should remain that way. His eyes settled on Jan Di, who seemed to silently thank him for covering for her.

"Oh, okay," Sun Mi said, though she really didn't understand why that should provoke such a reaction from both of them. "Do you want some help getting up?"

"Sure." Grabbing her hand, Ji Hoo hauled up, feeling much better.

He took her hand and started to walk off.

"What about Jan Di?"

"Rule Number One in the Geum Jan Di Survival Manual: Never offer her help if she hasn't asked, you'll just make her angry. She'll come in a minute."

"There is a manual?" Sun Mi was confused again.

Ji Hoo just chuckled. "She'll be here soon, let's go drink something?"

"Yeah, okay."

He smiled at her and led her to the table, and he poured her some beer, which she gladly accepted.

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An hour passed, during which everyone had a great time. They played and ate and drank and basically chatted about nothing. It felt good.

Ji Hoo saw Jan Di sitting on the window sill, hugging her legs and looking at the city lights.

"Hey."

"Hey, you're not over there playing 'Never have I ever…'?" Yi Jung and Woo Bin were quickly getting inebriated with the game.

"I learned not to ever play with those two a long time ago, the hard way." He answered with a smile while sitting down on the opposite side of the pane. He had a bag with him. "This is for you."

"Really?" Jan Di took it; she was curious. "What is it?"

"Not from me, from Seo Hyun." The look on her face was funny. "Why are you so surprised? She liked you a lot."

"When did you see her?"

Ji Hoo thought about it for a bit. "Probably two years ago. I went to her wedding."

"Her what?!"

"She got married. He's a guy from her firm, a bit younger than her. Totally in love with each other."

"But…" Ji Hoo waited for her next question, but it never came. Jan Di simply frowned a bit but quickly shook her head and dug into the bag.

Inside was a red box, and when she opened it, she saw a pair of beautiful, elegant shoes. Definitely something she couldn't use back on the island.

"She told me you'd understand what it meant."

"'Wonderful shoes will take you to wonderful places,' that's what she told me that night at the party when she lent me the dress, shoes and makeup."

"I remember that night. Well, I take it you like them?"

"I love them, I just...I don't have anywhere to use these."

"You will, if you come back."

They looked at each other, measuring if either was going to relent.

She sighed. "I thought we had implicitly agreed to discuss this later."

"It was just an observation."

"Sure it was."

"Why don't you try them on?"

"They may not fit. After my pregnancy, lots of shoes didn't fit anymore, and I don't want to find out if it will be the same with these."

"I'm sure it won't."

She complied, because really, there was no way to say 'No' to an F4, even less to Yoon Ji Hoo.

Jan Di struggled a bit with the straps but finally got them on. Ji Hoo had almost crouched down to help her, but he thought that wouldn't look good, no matter the excuse or that Jan Di was a dear friend, so he stayed put. However, he was a bit smug when, as he had predicted, the shoes fit like a glove.

"Told you so."

"All hail Yoon Ji Hoo's wisdom." Jan Di said, but without any real sarcasm behind it. She stood up and took a couple of steps back and forth, admiring the golden shoes. The rhinestones made them shine every time she moved. Happy with her gift, she went back to the window and drew up her legs once more.

"I didn't think you'd remember the movie." Ji Hoo asked after a minute.

"Of course I would, I loved it. I even have the song on my playlist."

He simply smiled at that, and they both turned their faces to the window.

A few seconds later, Jan Di sang.

 _A rare beauty in the north._

 _She's the finest lady on earth._

Ji Hoo couldn't reach those high notes, so he lowered the register and accompanied her.

 _A glance from her, the whole city falls._

 _A second glance, leaves the whole nation in ruins._

They laughed a bit, remembering how the male character in the movie had pretended to be drunk while singing. But then, quickly, the laughter died as they looked at each other, remembering the last scene.

 _There exists no city or nation_

 _that has been more cherished_

 _than a beauty like this._

"Wau." Clapping, Yi Jung approached them. "It wasn't a fluke; you really do know Chinese. And you never told us you learned, Ji Hoo-ah."

"I told you, but you were too busy with some girl."

Yi Jung rolled his eyes, having no comeback for that.

"What movie is that?" Jae Kyung asked.

"House of Flying Daggers." Both Ji Hoo and Jan Di answered.

No one from the group had watched it, but then, they all agreed that they didn't watch movies too often, and when they did, it usually was Korean or ones popular in Hollywood.

Remembering the time, Jan Di thought it best to go back to get some rest. She went to stand up, and Jae Kyung and Ga Eul gushed over her shoes.

"Those are exquisite!"

"And look at the sparkle!"

"I quite frankly have no confidence in walking long distance in these. The last time I wore heels was six years ago." Jan Di nervously chuckled.

"We'll help you to your room." She thanked Jae Kyung for offering, and after saying goodnight, she went to her room.

While everyone started to gather their things to leave as soon as Ga Eul and Jae Kyung returned, Woo Bin took Ji Hoo to one side.

"Hey, man...so…You see,..."

"Are you okay?"

"Damn it, I usually don't get involved in anything, but I think I should tell you this. I know you really care about Jan Di, and even back then, when you had your weird agreement…, but maybe think a bit about Sun Mi? I mean, you should've seen her face when she saw the shoes you gave Jan Di."

Ji Hoo turned around, and clearly, his girlfriend was not in a good mood. She seemed to be somewhere between sad and angry.

"Thank you for telling me, but I didn't give her those shoes."

"Yeah, you did," Woo Bin stated in an obvious tone. "We all saw you."

"I was merely delivering a gift from Seo Hyun. And yes, I care about Jan Di, but I wouldn't blatantly disrespect Sun Mi like that."

Woo Bin saw that his friend wasn't lying, and according to the facts, his gesture had been completely innocent. It wasn't as if he had gone down on one knee and put the glass slipper on Cinderella's foot; still, he thought Ji Hoo could've picked a better moment, but being who he was and how weirdly his mind worked, he thought best to let it go.

"I'm sorry for jumping to conclusions, man."

"Not at all. I should thank you, actually. I probably wouldn't have noticed Sun Mi was upset. I'll talk to her."

"Thanks. You're my brother, but she's my friend, too…"

"I know, don't worry. We're good."

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"I didn't buy her shoes," Ji Hoo said out loud after a minute inside the car on their way to her house.

"What?"

Sun Mi hadn't been sulking, no. She had been simmering. When she saw her boyfriend give that bag to Jan Di she had just snapped inside.

Ji Hoo bought Sun Mi gifts, yes, but she would usually hint at what she would like because Ji Hoo told her it was best to give something she liked instead of something she would have to pretend to like.

Sun Mi, so far, had gotten perfume, a coat, a scarf, and of course, flowers and chocolates; also, Ji Hoo paid for all their outings. She had the money to pay as well, but he had insisted and she had let him. Ji Hoo was a gentleman; he opened doors and pulled out chairs, and she couldn't be happier; however, since Jan Di had appeared, her boyfriend seemed to have become someone else. Not in a bad sense, just...someone she didn't know.

When he repeated that he hadn't bought her the shoes, she felt like she had a right to ask.

"Then why did you give them to her?"

"It was a gift from Seo Hyun. I've been keeping them for years and just recalled yesterday."

"Are you telling me your ex-girlfriend gave you a gift for Jan Di? Why not give it herself?"

"Because it was when Jan Di was gone. I was at her wedding in Paris. I'm sorry I made you upset, but I really thought nothing of it."

At least that last statement made her feel better. "Were Seo Hyun and Jan Di close?"

Ji Hoo looked away, not only away from her, but he seemed to travel somewhere in memory. "Seo Hyun liked her very much after finding out we were sort of friends. She always thought I needed to expand my horizons beyond F4."

Sun Mi hesitated but thought that maybe this was her only chance at asking. "Why did you break up?" She watched her boyfriend get visibly uncomfortable, but she said nothing. She would wait for a full minute, and if he didn't answer, she'd let it go.

She was at the fiftieth second in her mind when Ji Hoo spoke. "I was too late. I thought it was all lost when Seo Hyun renounced her inheritance and left for Paris. At that point, I had never told her I loved her; I thought she knew. Even after confessing and knowing she felt the same, Seo Hyun was leaving and there was nothing I could do about it. I sulked for a while but then was encouraged by someone to follow after her. So I did. We spent close to a month in Paris, together, but it didn't work out."

"Why?" she asked again.

"There were...other people then. Seo Hyun was seeing a French diplomat, and although they were only friends at the time, she knew she could fall for him if she tried."

"So, she left you?"

"No. I left."

"But you remained friends."

"We didn't. It was a couple of months later, after I left that she asked me to come back to Paris to talk, for closure. We're still friends, just not as close as before. And that's okay."

Sun Mi was glad. Min Seo Hyun had managed to build a name for herself, even when her parents had been appalled at her audacity to simply leave everything behind. She sounded like a great woman who was also beautiful and very smart. She really thanked her stars that, for whatever reason, it hadn't worked between them.

"Do you feel better now?" Ji Hoo cautiously asked, hoping Sun Mi didn't have more questions for the night.

"Yes, I do. Thank you for talking to me."

Sun Mi took his hand, and he smiled. Then Ji Hoo turned around to look out the window while humming.

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Yi Jung found what he had asked for on the desk in his office. Taking the photo albums and the envelope with the new pictures he had printed, he sat on his sofa and started to check the pages. There were a lot of pictures of F4 that made him smile, remembering how small, they had been and without a care in the world, much like Ji Min now.

And speaking of that, he had found the pictures he wanted. He would have to thank their mothers, who forced them to take portraits and full-body photo sessions throughout the years.

Taking out Ji Min's pictures after his makeover, he put the older picture next to it on the center table and looked closely.

He could be wrong, but it was really a very low chance. The resemblance was uncanny. Sure, the hair was different, so were the eyes; those were Jan Di's, but the rest was the same.

He then started calculating in his brain. Yi Jung hadn't been able to find a Geum Ji Min birth registration, so he couldn't corroborate the dates, but from what Jan Di had told him, Ji Min's conception had been after she left school, which of course, crushed his theory.

Still, Jan Di had left, disappeared, not one note, call, piece of mail; she hadn't even told Ga Eul where she was going, and two of his friends had taken the blow as if from a wrecking ball.

It was possible she was also lying about the birth date to cover for...whatever it was she wanted to cover.

Yi Jung was aware that this didn't concern him, but he also felt it was unfair that, if he was right, the father didn't know he had a son.

Sighing, he thought it best to talk to Woo Bin first the next day.

* * *

"It looks so new," Jan Di exclaimed while walking through the museum.

"We renewed it just last year. We have more music halls, a new Korean artists foyer. We also are the first ones to showcase So Yi Jung's artwork whenever he creates a new collection, so we've been having a lot of public coming in lately." Ji Hoo was walking with Jan Di and Ji Min; well, the little boy was running around and stopping to look at the art surrounding the place. His mother had already warned him not to touch anything, and he knew better, but still, he was pushing the limits by standing very, very close to a lot of pieces.

"Geum Ji Min, look with your hands and touch with your eyes."

"Yes, Omma."

"What's that about?" Ji Hoo asked.

"Just something I say so that he doesn't touch anything."

Ji Hoo found it weird. As a kid, he was never told not to touch; although, if he was being honest, there wasn't much that he couldn't touch. He was the sole male heir of the Yoon empire. Sometimes, he wondered if his parents had wanted another kid. Ji Hoo wouldn't have minded a brother or sister.

"Should we continue?" Ji Hoo called Ji Min, and the little boy grabbed his hand and his mother's, still in awe of another museum. The one Yi Jung had taken him to had been super fun, but this one, for some reason, held a completely different feeling.

Ji Hoo led them to Su-Am Concert Hall Number 3 where a huge surprise was waiting for Ji Min. When he opened the doors, Jan Di saw a group of musicians, who were simply waiting for instruction to begin their concert.

"This is the Korean Symphony Orchestra. I thought you might enjoy this, Ji Min-ah."

The little boy grabbed both of their hands so hard, and Jan Di was sure he was trying to contain his impulse to scream for joy. Ji Hoo led them to the best seats in the house, Jan Di seated to Ji Min's right and Ji Hoo to his left. Then, he nodded to the conductor.

"This is Dvorák, Cello Concerto in B minor," Ji Hoo whispered to Ji Min before the concerto started.

The music filled the hall, and Jan Di turned her face to catch Ji Hoo's eyes. She mouthed a heartfelt 'Thank you', to which he smiled.

At one point, she thought Ji Min was going to be bored; they had been sitting down for more than half an hour, but her little man was simply moving to the edge of his seat, excitedly listening to the orchestra and the cello soloist with stars in his eyes. Really, she didn't know if Ji Hoo had kept to himself the fact that Ji Min loved music. Every other F4 had done their best to entertain and keep her son happy, but she was sure the reason why Ji Hoo had been moving his day with them was so that he could gather this amazing orchestra only for Ji Min. Her son was happy, so she was delighted.

Once the orchestra was done and Ji Hoo confirmed to Ji Min it was okay to applaud-He didn't know it was rude to do so between movements-he rose to stand on the seat and clap as hard as he could while shouting 'Bravo!'.

Jan Di and Ji Hoo joined him, for it had been a sensational performance, of course. She wasn't all that surprised when Ji Hoo told her it was okay to meet the musicians, and once again, she could see just how much Ji Min was trying to hold back his enthusiasm and the urge to run to the stage.

Jan Di took pictures and videos with her phone; all the musicians were asked for an autograph, and the orchestra director assured Ji Min he would always be welcomed at any of their presentations. It was unavoidable that Ji Min started to cry then; so many times had he asked her if he was going to be able to see one of these performances live one day, and now he had, from the front row, and he'd even met the musicians he so admired from the other side of the TV screen. Ji Hoo was trying to calm him down, but Ji Min simply hugged onto Ji Hoo's leg, thanking him over and over again.

They had to wait a bit for Ji Min's tears to finally cease, but they had been ones of excitement and happiness. At last, some juice and snacks did the trick.

"There's something else I want to show you, Ji Min-ah," Ji Hoo told him while crouching in front of him.

"There's more!? Are we going to see them again?" He was already up and inching towards the door.

"No, not exactly. But I have a feeling you'll like this as much."

"Then, let's go, let's go!"

Jan Di followed them to Concert Hall Number 1 and saw that, at the center of the stage, there was a woman next to a piano, a cello, and a row of bows. Perhaps it was another soloist?

She went to sit again but noticed that Ji Hoo wasn't following her. Instead, he was taking Ji Min to the stage, where he introduced the woman as a musician and then directed Ji Min to the cello case.

"This is my gift to you, Ji Min. I know you'll learn quickly."

Jan Di's hand went to her mouth, and Ji Min was trying to say something but couldn't, so Ji Hoo explained what it was, though he really didn't need to. "This is a Cecilio Cello, ¼ size. I could've gotten a ⅛, but you're tall. It has a hand-carved, solid spruce top, highly-flamed, solid maple neck, back and sides. Also high-luster varnish finish and hand inlaid purfling. The fingerboard and pegs are ebony, the tailpiece as well, with a mother of pearl inlay and 4 nickel plated fine tuners. The strings are Larsen A, Thomastik-Infeld D, Spirocore Tungsten G and Thomastik-Infeld C."

Jan Di hadn't understood a word about what he just said, but from that explanation, she could tell this cello wasn't cheap, or just taken off a rack.

Ji Hoo observed Ji Min's face and heard him ask in a low voice if the cello was really his, and he was more than happy to confirm that it was. He had no way of knowing whether Ji Min would have the talent or not, but he had a feeling he would, so he had gone ahead and bought it.

Ji Min had bows to choose from, Marco Raposo, Jon Paul and Coda Bow. Ji Hoo had also gotten him a lightweight form-fitting, hard case with velvet interior, two bow holders, accessories pocket, padded neck restraint, bridge protector, three handles, adjustable shoulder straps, and hard plastic wheels. Also, a cello stand with 3 extra sets of high quality cello strings and Kaplan Premium rosin for his bow.

He was an F4, after all, and a musician. He would only choose the best.

"This lady here, she's a renowned cello professor. She'll give you a quick class today, so you can get to know the basics. But remember, nothing comes easy. It'll be hard work and long hours of study. You hear me?"

Ji Min only nodded as he was again trying to clean his tears. He had never had something so pretty all to himself. Yes, his mom gave him the best she could, and he would never even dream of complaining about that. But this, this was on another level in his small heart because a part of him knew that even if his mother wanted to, it would've been next to impossible to get an instrument such as this.

"Thank you so much, Ji Hoo Hyung-nim."

"Think nothing of it." Introducing the teacher and the student, Ji Hoo left the stage to join Jan Di.

"You…" was all she said before they hugged. She was deeply grateful for Ji Hoo's gestures for the day. He kinda shrugged it off, making Jan Di roll her eyes.

Ji Min was trying to quickly learn everything he could and Ji Hoo could see he had inherited a lot of his mother's impatience.

"Why did you leave me a note, Jan Di?" he asked out the blue.

She was surprised. Everyone had mentioned that she had just left, leaving no message behind. "I didn't think you found it."

Ji Hoo remembered coming home from the airport. He had wanted to freshen up and change before calling Jan Di, but when he got to his room, he found a folded paper on his nightstand.

 _'I'll always pray for your happiness. Love, Jan Di.'_ was written on it, and an awful feeling settled in his gut. He had pocketed it and immediately driven to Jan Di's house, only to find it empty.

"I did find it, but seeing that I was the only one who got one, not even Ga Eul… I just couldn't tell the guys about it; I would've had to explain too much."

"Yes, I know." Jan Di regretted it, greatly. She shouldn't have written that note, but she thought it would be adding salt to the wound to leave without a word. Not that she had said much, but in her state of mind at the time, she wasn't thinking clearly.

"Why did you leave?"

"My dad...You know how he had trouble with gambling? It was really bad. One night, he came home bleeding and barely able to walk. We had to leave. There was no way we could pay his debt."

"You could've told me."

"And you would've paid." She tore her eyes away from her son who was learning how to hold a bow. "That's never why I was your friend, any of the F4's friend. You guys did pretty shitty things, but you knew deep down you were in the wrong. You took me in for some reason and then wanted to cover me in gold or something. That's not who I am, you know this."

"Jan Di…" Ji Hoo turned in his seat, "you know I never tried to wound your pride. The universe might know why it's so freaking huge. But we would've reached a solution, an agreement. I would have gladly accepted a payment in installments for the rest of your life if you wanted, but the way you left…"

"I'm sorry. I'm really, really sorry, but please, can we stop? I know I was wrong to leave you like that, to simply disappear and not keep in touch, but I thought I was doing what was best for my family! You were in France with Seo Hyun; Jun Pyo had to deal with his mother; I didn't want to use Woo Bin's influence, and I never had the same confidence in Yi Jung as with you. It was my mistake, I-" the tears finally fell from her eyes, "See? I didn't want to cry again. Ji Hoo, I've cried more than you can imagine, and I know you might never forgive me for the pain I caused you...But please, I'm begging you, please…!"

Her fervent whisper made Ji Hoo take her hand and squeeze. He wanted answers, and he deserved them, but he also knew that he wouldn't gain anything from it. No matter what she had to say, they couldn't go back in time.

"Listen to me." Jan Di raised her head to look at him. "You are never to do this again. I don't care if it sounds chauvinistic or whatever, but you will tell us or me the next time something like this happens. All we went through, Jan Di, it wasn't for nothing. If you need help you will call me and we will figure it out, together." When she opened her mouth to protest, Ji Hoo quickly cut her off. "Yes, you can and you will do it. Even if you decided not to come to the city, you have a new phone now. We all expect you to stay in touch regularly. Jae Kyung is probably the one that will visit the most," he added at the end, trying to alleviate the mood.

He knew he had succeeded when she chuckled amid tears. Offering her his handkerchief, Ji Hoo lay the matter to rest. Nothing good ever came from trying to live in the past; he knew that better than anyone else.

"Omma, look!" Jan Di was thankful that the lights were dim, so Ji Min didn't catch on to her tears. Her son quickly showed her how he played three consecutive notes, and Jan Di's smile was so big she could feel her cheeks hurting.

"That's just amazing, love!" Ji Min smiled and asked the teacher to please teach him some more.

"Jan Di-ah," Ji Hoo started, "if you don't move back to the city for good, you can still come sometimes with Ji Min. I'll make sure to schedule classes for him for whenever you have the time."

Jan Di nodded.

She would be lying to herself if she said she had never thought about coming back to the city. It had been difficult with Ji Min; the first month after he was born, Jan Di could remember a time when she had gone so far into the sea, she thought she would drown, and actually thought it would be best to do so. That had scared her. Never in her life had she had suicidal thoughts, and now that she was having them because of her own son, she was ashamed. Of course, it's not like Ji Min was planned, but that didn't mean she got to take the easy way out and abandon him. Jan Di had chosen her pregnancy; she could've terminated it, with her mother's blessing at that, but after seeing the sonogram, it was a fact that she wouldn't be able to forget for the rest of her life.

"You'll pay for everything if I come back with my family." Ji Hoo almost didn't hear her statement, having thought the conversation was over. "So, how will I pay you back for that?"

"We'll see. It's not like we'll let you flee while you owe us. You'll probably have to work for the rest of your life, which just so happens to be how long we'll remain friends. Doesn't sound so bad, does it?"

They were both smiling at his nonchalant tone.

"Give me some time?"

"Always."

"Thank you."

"Now, changing the subject, Ji Min seems to be doing very well. I'll give you some books, too, so he can study how to read scores. The theory is always boring but necessary."

"You don't have to worry about that with him. He loves anything related to music. I bet he'll devour those books in record time."

"How is your life there on the island, Jan Di?" That was something he had been curious about, and Jan Di obliged him. She told him about her job and boss, how the fishing village worked, and about the small town that was an hour away and the closest to civilization they had. She also told him how she had learned to make a lot of shadow shapes with her fingers to entertain Ji Min on nights when they lit up the candles. And how there was a cliff with the perfect height to practice diving. Of course, she had made sure, first, that there were no rocks or that it wasn't shallow, but lots of fishermen did it, so she decided to do it, too. She went on to tell him about the friends she had managed to make and the other mothers she gathered with in the small 'park' where the kids played. She, furthermore, told him about the people she liked and others she didn't.

Ji Hoo listened intently, trying to learn about this new Jan Di. The girl he had met when she was 18 was now a woman and a mother, but she still was her: Prideful, hardworking, impatient, and beautiful, inside and out.

Time went by fast, the hour and a half of Ji Min's class coming to an end in no time, much to the little boy's chagrin. Ji Hoo thanked the teacher and told Ji Min and Jan Di they should move to another hall as this one was going to be occupied soon. Before they left, though, Jan Di took a picture of Ji Min posing with his cello next to Ji Hoo. He, of course, returned the favor, and Ji Min also got to pose next to his mom. The only reason why he could be removed from the stage was that Ji Hoo had given Ji Min his word-and a man never goes back on his word-that he would take care of the cello.

Moving to the next concert hall, Jan Di noticed that the stage was bigger, definitely meant for an orchestra as there were chairs, stands, music sheets, a piano, and some timpani at the back. Also, there was a big screen that, as soon as they had taken their seats, it lit up.

"Ji Min, hello!" There was a brunette woman on the screen, waving at them, talking in English but with subtitles next to her. "I was contacted by Ji Hoo about you, and he tells me you are a great music aficionado."

"It's Alisa Weilerstein!" Her son all but screamed and grabbed onto the back of the seat next to him.

"He also tells me you enjoy how I play. I'm flattered to hear that. I started to play just a little before you, so I know you'll be better than me in no time. I hope you take it seriously and that you practice, practice, practice! That is the most important thing. If you come to one of my concertos, please find me backstage and we can have a talk. Goodbye!"

Jan Di knew about Alisa Weilerstein because of Ji Min. He had pointed out her name on those old radio shows where they play classical music, and once again, Jan Di was speechless at Ji Hoo's resourcefulness. She thought that had been all, but as soon as the message ended, another one came up.

"Omma! That's Mischa Maisky!" Ji Min was grabbing her arm so tight. This older gentleman was speaking in a language she didn't understand at all, but thanks to the subtitles, she knew what he was talking about. "I know you're a fan, and I hope to meet you at some point. Keep on practicing as that is the only way to improve."

And that was it.

There was a beat of silence, and then Ji Min's scream filled the hall.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!" He went to hug Ji Hoo who had the biggest smile on his face.

Jan Di thanked him as well; her son was stoked for all the surprises he'd gotten that day. And she was happy, for every one of her son's dreams had been fulfilled, all in a few hours this morning. _Must be nice being an F4._

"Ji Min-ah, do you know that Ji Hoo can play the violin?" Jan Di thought to mention. "And he's great at it, too."

"I didn't know that! I want to hear you, Hyung-nim!"

"Well, I don't have my violin here," Ji Hoo replied. He hadn't wanted to bring attention to himself; after all, it was Ji Min's day.

"But there's a piano; you could play a bit there," Jan Di pressed.

"You just want to hear me play something," Ji Hoo countered.

"Yes, I do. And so does Ji Min. Come on, just something easy," she pleaded, and of course, he obliged.

All of them moved to the stage, and Ji Hoo sat Ji Min next to him on the stool. He went for something he knew Ji Min might have heard.

 _River Flows in You_ of Yiruma was heard throughout the hall, and Ji Min was happily watching Ji Hoo's fingers 'flow' over the keys while Jan Di stood next to him.

When he was done, Ji Min clapped and told him he was amazing, which made Ji Hoo smile again. He then asked if he could go around the stands on the stage and even though Jan Di was a little apprehensive about that, Ji Hoo allowed it.

He cocked his head to invite her to sit next to him.

"How long has it been since you last played?" he asked her.

"Probably since the last time we were here." There were no pianos back on the island. She saw him move his hand as if to offer her the spot. Jan Di really didn't know if she was going to be able to, but she'd try either way. She always liked the piano, but there was no money at home to learn it, so she had seized every opportunity there had been back in middle school, on a very, very old Steinway that was in serious need of a tuning.

Her fingers tried a scale and then some notes. Ji Hoo played a few to accompany her, and then, he started to play a melody she knew very well. Thanks to muscle memory, her fingers were starting to move more easily now.

 _I'm walking all over the place,_

 _for some reason I feel excited._

"I know that song!" Ji Min said.

"Really?" Ji Hoo asked, surprised. When he turned to Jan Di, she looked a little flustered.

"It was the only way he would fall asleep when he was a baby. He would listen to it and then relax or something," she said

"Sometimes Omma still sings it for me."

"Why don't we sing it, then? You know all of it, right Ji Min?" Ji Hoo suggested, and the little boy agreed. "Jan Di, play it with me."

"I'll probably make a lot of mistakes."

"I'll help you, come on." Ji Hoo nudged her shoulder and she relented. Ji Min came to stand close to his mother, and they started to sing.

Ji Min hadn't known his mom could play, and even though she made a couple mistakes at first, she totally got it right after that.

 _Next to you, everything is right._

 _You make me smile._

 _Even my wounded heart, closed off with scars,_

 _smiles when I see you_

 _And I do the same as you,_

 _I smile just like you do._

 _I also want to be_

 _the person that you like_

They kept on singing, and Ji Hoo noticed Ji Min even added a few clean high notes. The little boy liked SHINee so much, and he often tried to imitate Jonghyun or Taemin when singing.

Once they were done, the three of them were surprised to hear applause coming from the entrance.

"Woo! That's what I call a performance!" Woo Bin yelled. All the gang was there, and Jan Di remembered Ji Hoo had told her they were going to catch up with them later.

Ji Min immediately ran up to the group to tell them all the things he had done earlier with his hyung and omma.

While this happened, Jan Di turned to Ji Hoo.

"Thank you."

"Thank you for still remembering that song."

"We played it a lot, didn't we?"

They both smiled and stood up to greet the rest of the guys.

"I didn't know you had such a nice voice, Jan Di-ah!" Jae Kyung told her once they had hugged. "And you play the piano. Is there anything you can't do?"

"Accepting a gesture of good will without wanting to give something in return," said Ji Hoo.

"Never wanting us to pay for anything," said Jun Pyo.

"Letting her pride dictate her decisions," said Woo Bin.

"Being impulsive and not measuring the consequences to her actions," said Yi Jung.

To say Jan Di was embarrassed would be to downplay what she was feeling. She knew the guys were right, but she didn't think they would outright say it out loud.

"Shut up…" Still, she couldn't be mad at them because first, everything they said was true, and two, because they were all smiling while they said it.

"Oh, don't be mean, guys. Jan Di-ah, wouldn't you sing again? Hmm? Please? Just one more song, I really liked what I heard just now!" Jae Kyung was really excited.

"I think we all did," said Sun Mi. She had tried to come earlier, but the meetings had kept her busier than she had thought.

"Well...I don't know if-" Jan Di started, but Woo Bin cut her off.

"Come on, sis! The only one who got to hear you singing back then was our boy Ji Hoo; we want to hear you, too!"

She sighed because that was true; she never really sang and only did so when she and Ji Hoo were practicing at the concert hall or at his house.

"Okay, but just one song."

Everyone cheered and went to their seats while Jan Di walked back to the stage.

That second, the doors opened again, and a group of musicians walked in, stopping abruptly when they saw Ji Hoo and the rest of F4, plus their girlfriends, inside.

"Excuse us, Director." One of them bowed down. "We were told this hall was free for practicing."

"Worry not," Ji Hoo quickly told the girl, "we'll be done very soon. You're welcome to stay. Take a seat."

Jan Di wanted to go back to the group, but if Ji Hoo had asked them to sit, he obviously thought she was going to perform.

She reluctantly climbed the stairs to the stage and sat before the piano.

"What should I play then?"

"Make it a love song, Jan Di-ah! Those always sound so beautiful on piano," gushed Jae Kyung.

"A love song…" Jan Di thought for a bit and then found the perfect one in her head. "Okay, a love song it is."

"Is it for me, Jan Di-ah?" Yi Jung teased her, and she shivered as if the sole idea was an awful medicine to drink, making him laugh.

"No, it is not for you. If you must know, this is for a guy I love very much."

"Oh, really? You didn't tell us you had a boyfriend, Jan Di. I have to meet him to give him my approval," Woo Bin said.

"Well, I don't think you'll disapprove. He's kind, smart, has good manners, most of the time, and treats me like a queen." All of her friends were waiting for her to say who it was "This song is for you, my prince," Jan Di told Ji Min, and he smiled that smile that made her heart melt.

She took a deep breath, trying to forgot there were other people there she had never met before, and put her hands on the keys.

The melody seemed to be slow and warm. She found the rhythm quickly and quietly cleared her throat. After just the first few notes, Jan Di's voice rang out. She started telling a story about the rain in her heart and the loneliness she had felt.

 _You are like a light after the rain has passed._

The guys knew that she could sing, but not as such. The control that she had was incredible for an amateur.

The chorus soon came, and they were all struck. The notes, high and clear, loving and in the perfect pitch. Her eyes were closed and her hands confident. Her friends seemed surprised, except for Ji Min and Ji Hoo. Ji Min always listened to his mom sing, and Ji Hoo was the one who perfected Jan Di's skills on the piano, and even if it had been many years, her voice still held that mezzo-soprano quality.

While thinking of this, he noticed his musicians had gone up to the stage with their instruments in hand. Were they…?

 _When I turn my head at your smile,_

 _unknowingly, I reach my hand out like this_

Yes, they were. They had all grabbed their instruments and were waiting for the proper beat to enter. When the first violin note could be heard, Jan Di snapped her eyes open to find all of the musicians at her side, following her music in tandem.

She had not been expecting this, but she still smiled, remembering a time when she had dreamed about playing with those great musicians but knowing she was nowhere near their talent. Still, right now, she was playing with them, so she better make the most of it.

 _Cause you are, the light that fell on me._

 _You are, like a beautiful dream._

It was amazing how these people could easily accompany her piano and voice. But she knew that as the song carried on, there was an effect that was needed. She scanned her memories, remembering her lessons with Ji Hoo about directing, and she tried to make eye contact with the musicians. One of her hands indicated that she would direct, and brief nods were exchanged.

The crescendo was coming. The violins, cellos, and harps, all running with her voice. Jan Di held a high note, and then her hand went up to quickly form a tight fist. The orchestra stopped at that exact second, only to immediately follow Jan Di's hand again when it fell, pouring sound into the melody once more. It was beautiful.

 _You are...always beside me._

 _You are...inside of my tender heart._

Jun Pyo felt Jae Kyung cuddling next to him with a smile on her face, and he, watching to see that everyone was distracted with Jan Di, kissed her head.

The sentiment in her voice gave Yi Jung chills, and he was impressed by yet another talent of the girl who had transformed F4 with her attitude and sassiness.

Sun Mi could feel goosebumps on her arms and neck, such was the power of her voice filling that hall, building even over the sounds of the instruments while she declared Ji Min was her star. She couldn't have imagined she had such talent for music. When turning to see her boyfriend, she noted the distinctive tint of pride emanating from him. That's right, he told me he taught her some piano. Sun Mi smiled at this, thinking maybe she should also accept his offer to teach her an instrument.

Finally, Jan Di turned her smiling face toward her son, and they all could see there were tears in her eyes. No one in that hall could say they didn't feel the love pouring from every note.

 _You're my star...Yeah you are…_

The melody faded out with the last long note that escaped Jan Di's chest, leaving the hall filled, once more, with only the warm notes from the piano and her voice.

As soon as the last note was heard, everyone clapped: musicians and friends. Ji Min quickly went to his mother and whispered in her ear that she was his rainbow, too. Jan Di laughed through her tears and quickly trapped him in a hug.

After that, she strode over to the musicians and bowed, thanking them for what they had done.

"We love Taeyeon songs! We practiced this one last year, so it is fresh. You have a beautiful voice," said one of the girls.

"And you play so beautifully!"

Jan Di spoke a bit with all of the musicians while Ji Min seized the opportunity to tell the girl playing the cello that he had gotten a brand new one earlier that day.

Ji Hoo smiled at the scene, feeling such pride after having seen his good friend having fun and getting the opportunity to show off her talents. It had been a day for Ji Min, yes, but it had ended up being a day for Jan Di as well.

* * *

"Omma, please!"

"Ji Min-ah, you've been coughing and you feel warm, so no ice cream for now."

"But Doctor Grandpa said ice cream doesn't make you sick."

"And he might be right, but I don't want to take any chances. You were just sick, love, do you want to be sick again?"

"I want ice cream!"

They had all gone for dinner and Yi Jung had suggested ice cream for dessert, forgetting that Ji Min had been sick a few days before. He felt bad about it and tried to mention other desserts that were way tastier, but Ji Min wasn't having it.

Jan Di saw how her boy was quickly running down the path to an impossible tantrum in the middle of the elegant restaurant they were eating in, so she prepared to drag him to the street or the bathroom if necessary.

"Geum Ji Min, I said no ice cream, and that's final. You can choose any other dessert that is not a frozen one."

"I WANT ICE CREAM!"

And to everyone's surprise, Jan Di grabbed his arm and dragged him to the bathroom area, a steely look in her eyes.

"Damn it, I totally forgot. But he could've chosen something else!" Yi Jung said. He really was feeling guilty.

"He's a kid; he doesn't understand logic the same. We just forget that because he's a bit more mature. Don't you remember how my sisters were?" Woo Bin gave him a pointed look.

"Don't make me remember those times. It was exhausting."

No one at the table made further comments about it, for none of them had suffered that kind of treatment from their parents. The guys had received some slaps, but when they were older, and the girls were always princesses. Sun Mi remembered that even when her mother found her in Italy, she simply dragged her by the arm and threw her in the rehab facility; she never hit her.

A few minutes later, that actually felt like more, Jan Di was walking back with Ji Min to their table, before the surprised and reproachful gazes of some other guests around them. They'd probably never seen explicit parenting, and in a public place. Jan Di looked completely unfazed by this, though, and quickly sat her son down and then herself.

"Well? Are you waiting for an invitation?" She spat out to her son once there was silence again.

"I...I'm very...sorry." Ji Min sniffled out. His face was red and splotchy, but he was looking up at all of them.

"For what?" Jan Di pressed on.

"For...for yelling and disrespecting an elder."

"And?"

"For crying...when there was nothing to cry about."

"Good. Now finish your dinner. No dessert for you tonight."

"But-"

"Dinner, shower, and bed."

Ji Min nodded and lowered his head, grabbing his fork to finish his dinner.

Jan Di looked up at everyone and apologized as well. Of course, everyone said there was nothing to apologize for. Yi Jung said he thought it best to skip dessert, but Jan Di simply told him they shouldn't change their plans for a temper tantrum, to please try to enjoy their dinner.  
Jun Pyo, on his part, thought that this was probably harsher than any slap he might have received from his mother. That was a sting to his cheek and done. The punishment Jan Di was dishing out was way more severe, even without actually physically hurting her son.

Of course, no one wanted dessert, even though dinner carried on and Ji Min looked better, though duly chastised.

They put an end to the night early; it was barely 7 p.m., and everyone told Jan Di they would call her the next day to see what they would do. She thanked them because she had noticed Ji Min was actually feeling warmer, and she wanted to give him a lukewarm bath in case he was getting a fever. He had been fine all day, but kids sometimes went from 0 to 100.

After saying their goodbyes, Ji Hoo called on a driver to take Jan Di and Ji Min back to the hotel.

* * *

Sun Mi had her head on Ji Hoo's shoulder while they sat on his couch. They were watching some documentary tonight and just chilling. She had even made some microwave pop-corn and served some cranberry juice to go with it. A quiet night.

She had noticed, though, that her boyfriend had been humming recently. It seemed to always be the same short melody or something that sounded the same.

"You're humming again," she told him after another episode had ended.

"Hmm? Oh, sorry."

"No, it's okay, I just wonder..."

"I've had this melody going around my brain for a while, but I can't seem to shape it up completely. Sorry if that bothers you."

"Not at all. You haven't been playing lately or composing, so it's great that that's coming back to you. You told me you were somewhat stuck, right?"

"Yeah."

She cuddled next to him, and he opened his arm to give her more space.

When an hour or so had gone by, and it was close to midnight, Sun Mi felt Ji Hoo startle and sit up.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, could you excuse me for a second?" He got up and went to unplug his phone from the charger.

He started to dial a number and then waited. Sun Mi was surprised by this. Not that the F4 didn't call each other at any hour of the day if they needed something, but Ji Hoo looked worried. He even cursed under his breath before calling again. She was about to ask what was happening when the person answered him.

"Hey, sorry about the time. Is everything okay? ...What happened? Don't say nothing because I can hear you practically crying, Jan Di!"

 _Why would he call her so late? And why is she crying?_

Sun Mi heard him quickly speaking, telling Jan Di to calm down and that he'd be there-wherever there was-soon.

He hung up and went to take a heavy leather jacket out of his wardrobe.

"Ji Hoo?" He didn't react. "Ji Hoo! What's going on?"

It was only then that he turned around and looked at her, and Sun Mi felt as if her boyfriend had forgotten she had been there all night.

"I'm sorry, Sun Mi-ah. Seems like Ji Min has developed a very high fever that Jan Di wasn't able to bring down with medicine or cold baths. She's at the clinic right now, and I'm going over there."

Sun Mi immediately sprinted into action, starting to gather her things together, but then she saw Ji Hoo taking his helmet in his hands.

"You are not leaving me here, are you?"

"No, I was going to call Woo Bin to pick you up."

"Why can't we just go together?"

"Well…" Ji Hoo looked sheepish. "The bike is faster. We could ride-"

"You know I don't like riding bikes."

Sun Mi had ridden bikes in the past, several of them, back in Italy where the Ducati bikes were what all the cool boys and their girls rode. She had never driven one but had ridden as a back passenger. And she was once in an accident. How she came out with just some cuts and bruises, she'd never know, because the driver fell into a coma. Far as she knew, he hadn't woken up by the time she had left. Sun Mi had been scared to death and refused to ever ride a bike again. No matter if the driver was Ji Hoo and she knew he wouldn't do something to put them in harm, the memories would come back to her whenever she was near a bike.

She shook her head to get rid of the images of a bloody Francesco on the floor and looked back to her boyfriend. He seemed to be debating on what to do and finally put the helmet down and started to call again, this time to the F4.

Barely a minute later, he spoke. "Woo Bin and Yi Jung are going there right now. Do you need anything else before we leave?"

"No, I'm ok to go."

For some reason, Sun Mi felt as though she had done something wrong, and she didn't like it.

oº°˚˚°ºoº°˚˚°ºoº°˚˚°ºoº°˚˚°ºoº°˚˚°ºoº°˚˚°ºoº°˚˚°ºoº°˚˚°ºoº°˚˚°ºo

Woo Bin, Yi Jung, Ji Hoo and Sun Mi were all in a small lobby area, if you could call it that, of a house that supposedly was a clinic.

When they arrived, Woo Bin and Yi Jung had been there. They had been together at a club near the address Jan Di had given Ji Hoo. All they knew was that Ji Min had a very, very high fever and that Jan Di was worried sick. She'd been called back inside by the doctor a few moments before they had arrived.

They were all worried. Jun Pyo and Jae Kyung couldn't go as her sister apparently had gone into labor.

"I'm going to get something to drink for all of us. Coffee?" Ji Hoo asked, and they all agreed. Sun Mi went with him to the door, but he told her it was okay, to keep warm inside and that he'd be back soon. She kissed him and sighed a bit. Slowly going back inside, she could hear Woo Bin and Yi Jung talking. For some reason, she stood close and listened.

"Good thing Ji Hoo called us, but what I can't understand is why Jan Di doesn't want to go to the private clinic." She heard Woo Bin saying.

"She says she trusts this doctor, so we'll have to let it be. Jan Di knows she can ask us, and she won't risk Ji Min's health," Yi Jung answered.

"Yeah, that's true…" After that, it was quiet, so Sun Mi decided to go back in, but something Woo Bin said made her stop. "So, Ji Hoo and his spidey sense again."

"Right? I thought it was nonsense, but... Yeah." Yi Jung remembered all those times Ji Hoo had suddenly said he needed to call Jan Di or asked where she was because he felt 'something was wrong'.

"He always knew when Jan Di was in trouble back in college, like when Jun Pyo's mom called her, remember? I didn't think it would apply to the present as well."

"Those two... It's like a thread connects them."

"Oy, don't say that. What about Sun Mi?" Woo Bin had known about Ji Hoo and Jan Di's connection, but that was years ago. Right now, he was with Sun Mi and happy again after so long.

"I didn't mean the red thread; I just said a thread. You have to admit it, and you know I don't normally believe this stuff, but it's like Fate."

"Okay, I accept that they have some kind of bond that's weird and hard to explain."

"Thank you."

After that, they were silent. Sun Mi didn't know what to make of what they had said, but she knew she had to go inside quickly, lest Ji Hoo find her outside.

Putting on a normal smile, she made her presence known and took a seat in front of the guys, and she waited for her boyfriend to return to hug and comfort her.

* * *

 **Translations**

 _"Wǒ huāle jǐ nián shíjiān."_ \- It took me a few years

 _"Bù xiāngxìn nǐ."_ \- I don't believe you

 **The Red Thread of Fate** (simplified Chinese: 姻缘红线; traditional Chinese: 姻緣紅線; pinyin: Yīnyuán hóngxiàn), also referred to as the Red Thread of Marriage, and other variants, is an East Asian belief originating from Chinese legend. According to this myth, the gods tie an invisible red cord around the ankles of those that are destined to meet one another in a certain situation or help each other in a certain way. Often, in Japanese and Korean culture, it is thought to be tied around the little finger. According to Chinese legend, the deity in charge of "the red thread" is believed to be Yuè Xià Lǎorén (月下老人), often abbreviated to Yuè Lǎo (月老), the old lunar matchmaker god, who is in charge of marriages.

 **I did my best with the cello description. If there are any musicians out there and this is way off, I apologize. I hope yoiu all enjoyed this chapter and that the next one comes quicker than the last.**

 **Thank you all!**


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